














. 


















* ,* v 



o<r 






ocy 






O0 l 

v 







. 






** v -5 






^ 









£ ^ 



°*,<? 

.^^ 










^ ' 



^ 



^ ^ 



■ - 



'** 









% 

IB,. ^ 
















<$ "*, 



«+ 



^V v* 















J - ^ V* 















vO 









■ \ 









..\\ . * * I « * 



,V 



'^>, V^ 









OCT 













-5- 



V 











^ ^ • 







^^ v 






n ^ 



0°^ 



^ °*J ./ 



,S "TV 










°* 



CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY 



OF THE BIRTH OF 



EDWARD EVERETT 



THE 



CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY 



OF THE BIRTH OF 



EDWARD EVERETT, 



CELEBRATED BY THE 



Dorchester Historical Society, 
APRIL nth, 1894. 

SECOND EDITION. 




BOSTON: 

Municipal Printing Office. 

1897- 







CITY OF BOSTON. 



In Common Council, Sept. 23, 1897. 

Oedered, That a new edition of the Everett Centennial Memorial, 
published as a City Document by order, approved April 28, 1S94, be 
printed and distributed by the City Registrar, the expense to be 
charged to the appropriation for Printing, item, Registry Department. 

Passed. Sent up for concurrence. 

In Board of Aldermen, September 27. 
Concurred. 

The foregoing order was presented to the Mayor, Sept. 27, 1897, and 
was not returned by him within ten days thereafter. 
A true copy. 

Attest.- 

John T. Priest, 

Assistant City Clerk. 



CITY OF BOSTON 



In Board of Aldermen, April 16, 1894. 

The Chairman, for the special committee appointed to represent the City 
Council at the celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the birth of 
Edward Everett, held at Winthrop Hall, Dorchester, reported that they 
had attended the said celebration, and that the committee recommended 
the passage of the following : 

Ordered, That the proceedings at the celebration of the Centennial 
Anniversary of the birth of Edward Everett, held at Winthrop Hall, 
Dorchester, be printed, with illustrative papers, as a public document, 
and that the City Registrar be directed to edit the same ; the expense 
attending the same to be charged to the appropriation for Printing De- 
partment. 

Passed. Sent down for concurrence. April 26 came up concurred. 
The foregoing order was presented to the Mayor, April 28, 1894, and 
was not returned by him within ten days thereafter. 
A true copy. 

Attest : 

John T. Priest, 

Asst. City Clerk* 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Birthplace of Edward Everett 

Preliminary Arrangements 

Letter of Hon. Nathan Matthews, 

Boston ..... 

Address of "William H. "Whit-more . 
Opening Address of Thomas Mair . 
Address of Bordman Hall 
Oration by Rev. James DeNormandie 
Address of James H. Stark 
Address of Rev. "W. E. C. Smith 
Address of Dr. Elbridge Smith 
Address of Rev. W. H. Albright . 
Address of Sidney B. Everett . 
Letters ...... 



Jr. 



Mayor of 



Page. 

Facing 5 



11 
12 
14 

32 
39 
46 
54 
57 
60 



APPENDIX. 

The Site of the Two Oldest Dorchester Meeting- 

Houses 73 

The Old School-House 93 

Petitions and Orders of the Town of Dorchester . 96 



CENTENNIAL SERVICES. 



In the spring of 1894, when it became evident that the 
celebration of the centennial anniversary of the birth of 
Edward Everett in his native town would devolve upon 
some private body, the Dorchester Historical Society was 
designated by public opinion as the most suitable agent. 

It was decided to hold services at TVinthrop Hall, 
Upham's Corner,. Dorchester, that being a locality near 
Everett's birth-place, and the task of preparing an ad- 
dress was accepted by the Rev. James De Normandie. 

The following invitation was sent to the City Council of 
Boston, and official action was taken thereon. 

(Proceedings, 1894, p. 314.) In Board of Aldermen, 
April 2, 1894. Alderman Hall presented the following: 

Boston, March 24, 1894. 
To the Honorable, the City Council of Boston : 

Gentlemen : The Dorchester Historical Society proposes to hold 
a special meeting iu commemoration of the centennial anniver- 
sary of the birth of Edward Everett. The services will be held 
on Wednesday, April 11, at three o'clock, at Winthrop Hall, 
Upham's Corner, Dorchester. 

I am directed to extend an earnest invitation to the members 



6 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

of your honorable body to join us in this celebration, to do honor 
to the memory of our distinguished, fellow-citizen. 

I remain, yours very respectfully, 

William H. Whitmore, 

President Dorchester Historical Society. 

In connection with the above, Alderman Hall offered an 
order — 

" That the invitation of the Dorchester Historical Society 
to the City Council of Boston to attend the services in com- 
memoration of the centennial anniversary of the birth of 
Edward Everett be and the same is hereby accepted, and 
that a special committee to consist of three members of this 
Board, with such as the Common Council may join, be 
appointed to formally attend the services in behalf of the 
City of Boston, and that the official stenographer be invited 
to accompany the committee. 

Passed, under a suspension of the rule. Sent down." 

In the Common Council (Proceedings, 1894, p. 318) the 
order was passed in concurrence April 5th, and approved 
by the Mayor. 

The Committee appointed consisted of Aldermen Alpheus 
Sanford, (Chairman of the Board,) Bordman Hall and 
Charles E. Folsom ; Councilmen Sidney B. Everett of 
ward 9, John B. Patterson, Herbert M. Manks and George 
I. Robinson, jr., all of ward 24, and the President, 
Christopher F. O'Brien, of ward 6. 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 7 

The following invitation was sent out to the public, meet- 
ing with a generous response which filled the Hall at the 
appointed hour : 

A Special Meeting of the Dorchester Historical Society 
will be held at Winthrop Hall, Upham's Corner, on 
Wednesday, April 11, 1894, at 3 o'clock, being the Cen- 
tennial Anniversary of the birth of Edward Everett. A 
Commemorative Address will be delivered by Rev. James 
De Normandie. You are earnestly invited to attend. 
Thos. Mair, W. B. Mendum, 

W. S. Stevens, J. H. Stark, 

Committee on Invitations. 

It was hoped that His Honor Mayor Matthews would 
preside; as he was unable to attend, the following letter 
was read at the meeting : 

Office of the Mayor, 
City Hall, Boston, April 7, 1894. 
W„ H. Wldtmore, President Dorchester Historical Society. 

Dear Sir: I regret that the pressure of public business will 
prevent me from accepting the invitation of your Society to attend 
the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the birth of 
Edward Everett. 

The career of that eminent scholar and statesman is naturally 
a source of pride to his native town, and I am pleased to find a 
local association ready to assume the duty of paying proper 
respect to his memory. While Boston as a whole is too rich in 
distinguished citizens to be able to make formal recognition of 
them all, it is eminently proper that individuals should combine 
to preserve the records of the past. I trust your Society has 
before it a long career of usefulness. 

Although Edward Everett hardly attained to the position of a 
popular favorite, his career was a very striking one. A preco- 



8 CENTEIWIAL AXXIVERSARY OF THE 

cious and yet a ripe scholar, a useful and beloved clergyman, 
president of our great university, governor of the Commonwealth, 
member of both branches of Congress, and of the Cabinet, he 
seemed to take all branches of learning into his possession. 

As Mayor of Boston I am glad to have the opportunity to con- 
gratulate the old town of Dorchester, which has become such an 
important portion of our enlarged city, upon the fame of one of 
its greatest sons. I do not doubt that a century from now similar 
honor will be due to others of her children destined to rival or 
eclipse even a Mather or an Everett. 

And I also hope that while local affections and pride are fos- 
tered by such celebrations, we shall all be strengthened in our 
attachment to our city, our Commonwealth, and our nation. 

I remain, 

Yours very truly, 

N. Matthews, Jr. 



It happened also that the President of the Dorchester 
Historical Society was compelled to be absent on account 
of illness, and to content himself with sending the following 
letter of welcome : 

ADDRESS OF WILLIAM H. WHLTM0RE, PRESIDENT OE THE 
DORCHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 

There is a special reason that the Dorchester 
Historical Society should undertake the celebration 
of this centennial anniversary. "When in 1855 our 
predecessors desired to make fitting recognition of 
the fact that Dorchester had reached the ripe age of 
225 years, Edward Everett cheerfully responded to 
the call of his fellow citizens and delivered the com- 
memorative address. This was one of the earliest, 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. V 

most successful and most noted celebrations of its 
kind, and the oration was a convincing proof of the 
author's thorough acquaintance with the history of 
his birth-place as well as an admirable evidence of 
his wide familiarity with the more general field. 

It is therefore not only a grateful task for us to 
do honor to his memory as a native of this town, 
but as students of American history we can un- 
hesitatingly claim him as a fellow laborer in the 
same field. 

Leaving to the eloquent speakers who are to fol- 
low, the pleasure of describing the scholar, the 
divine, the statesman and the man, I venture to 
remind you that we have also a word to say in 
regard to his birth-place, still happily preserved to 
our sight, and, as we all hope, long to be treasured 
for the reverent regard of pilgrims to the spot. 

Built probably a century and a half ago, this 
mansion is a delightful example of the commodious 
and graceful architecture now recognized as the 
Colonial style. It was erected by Robert Oliver, 
an opulent planter who had acquired his wealth in 
the West Indies. From him it passed to his son 
Thomas Oliver, the last Lieutenant Governor of this 
Province ; and it was in the hands of his brother- 
in-law when the royalists fled from Massachusetts. 
Confiscation followed, and, after passing through 
several hands, it became the property of Judge 
Oliver Everett in 1792. A century ago the child 



10 CENTEKNTAE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

was born therein whose fame is still increasing, 
after the lapse of the third of a century since his 
death. 

Although Edward Everett left these walls at the 
age of nine, he remained its owner until 1833, "when 
the house was sold to George Richardson, a most 
suitable possessor. For another half-century it 
remained in the hands of an owner who appreciated 
its memories ; and when death removed a citizen 
who gave ample proof of his public spirit by the 
gift of a part of the estate to public use, the house 
and home-lot were purchased by one of our fellow 
members. I am sure that you will join me in ex- 
pressing our pleasure that Dr. William S. Stevens, 
who now owns this house, has done every tiling that 
skill and money can effect to ensure its preservation. 

Lastly I have one suggestion to make. Anticipat- 
ing that some permanent record will be made of our 
proceedings today, I would suggest that some feAV 
excerpts be made from the great volume of obituary 
notices, published by the City of Boston in 1865, 
commemorative of Everett's death. 

Surely it is no spirit of false modesty which must 
impress every reader of that volume with the con- 
viction that we had great orators at that period, 
and that we can better revive their words than 
attempt to rival them. Especially is this true of 
the poetry of Oliver Wendell Holmes and the 
eloquence of Alexander H. Bullock. A judicious 






BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 11 

selection from the address of the many distinguished 
men who had been familiar with Everett through 
his brilliant and useful career will now serve to 
revive his memory and to explain the tradition of 
his wonderful ability. 

The Society extends a hearty welcome to those 
guests who join us on this occasion. 



The formal proceedings were opened by the following 
remarks by Thomas Mair, Esq., of Dorchester, Chairman 
of the Committee on Invitations. 

Ladies and Gentlemen: The time has come to 
open this service, and I know you will regret with 
me that the condition of his health prevents our 
president, Mr. William H. Whitmore, from being 
with us today to preside over this service. He has, 
however, requested one of our Society to act in 
his place; a gentleman well known to all the 
citizens of Boston, and especially familiar to us of 
Dorchester as a neighbor, and as an efficient and 
faithful representative in the city government. I 
have the pleasure of introducing to you Alderman 
Bordman Hall of Dorchester, as the presiding 
officer of this memorial service. (Applause.) 

Mr. Hall — I am very glad, ladies and gentle- 
men, to have the opportunity to co-operate with my 
fellow citizens of Dorchester and my associates of 



12 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

the Dorchester Historical Society in these commem- 
orative services. The ancient First Church of Dor- 
chester is at present without a pastor, but we are 
fortunate in having present here this afternoon the 
minister of the Second Church, and I will now call 
upon the Rev. Dr. Little to offer prayer. 

Prayer was then offered by Dr. Little. 
Mr. Hall then spoke as follows : 

Fellow Citizens: The attendance of the Chairman 
of the Board of Aldermen, the President of the 
Common Council, and a Joint Special Committee, is 
an appropriate participation on the part of the gov- 
ernment of the City of Boston in the tribute which 
we are to pay to the memory of an eminent states- 
man, orator and scholar. The action of the Dor- 
chester Historical Society in arranging for the 
observance of the one hundredth anniversary of the 
birth of Edward Everett was especially appropriate. 
It is to this Society that we may look for the com- 
memoration of such events. 

Dorchester is rich in historic names and localities; 
they begin with the earliest annals. The civil and 
ecclesiastical institutions peculiar to the New Eng- 
land town, the Puritan Church, the town meeting, 
the free public school were planted here, and here 
was established that ancestry which helped to lay 
the foundation of our national character. It was 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 13 

here that the Rev. Oliver Everett came, and here in 
the homestead where the Olivers had lived, venera- 
ble even then, was born Edward Everett. Here, 
while a child, studious even in his earlier years, was 
laid the foundation of that ripe scholarship which 
added to that oratory remarkable for its thought and 
learning woven in the charm of popular speech. 

Massachusetts was well served by Edward Everett 
as her chief executive and as her representative in 
the National Legislature. As Minister to England 
and as a member of the Cabinet, he reflects high 
credit upon himself and his country. 

We have come together to listen to a review of 
these public services, to contemplate a portraiture of 
the man by one who paints truthfully and with a 
skilful hand. The First Church in Roxbury for two 
and a half centuries has been twin sister to the First 
Church of Dorchester. In the early days the pastors 
of these venerable churches were ever co-operating. 
Their names are very familiar to us; among them 
were the Rev. Increase Mather, the Apostle Eliot, 
and the elder Danforth, the ancestor of our beloved 
townsman, Mr. John J. May. The ancient tie of 
friendship between these two churches of Roxbury 
and Dorchester has never grown weak, and today 
we are honored by the presence of the Roxbury 
pastor, who will speak to us on Edward Everett. I 
present to you the Rev. James De Normandie. 



ORATION 



Gentlemen, Members of the Dorchester Historical 
Society, who have shown such an interest in all 
that concerns the welfare of your Ancient Town, 
and Friends to the Memory of Edward Everett: 

Jesus the son of Sirach, a learned citizen of 
Jerusalem in the second century before our era, 
wrote : 

"Let us now praise famous men . . . leaders 
of the people by their counsels, and by their 
knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise 
and eloquent in their instructions." 

Since the first great acts of man, the world has 
been doing this, for the world must have leaders, 
ideal men, whether for strength or courage or 
learning or genius or eloquence or soul. Poor 
indeed is that town, that state, that heart which 
has not its hero to praise, some great memory, 
as well as some great hope, some great achieve- 
ment, as well as some great inspiration. Hero- 
worship is not only pardonable, it is a necessary 
step in human progress. There is nothing which 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 15 

so kindles the enthusiasm of youth, or confirms 
the faith of age, as to call to mind famous men. 

It is in obedience to this instinct of man that we 
are gathered this afternoon, here near the spot 
which gave him birth, not for indiscriminate praise, 
but for that fair estimate of a commanding man 
which only the lapse of years makes possible, as it 
buries fulsome flattery, or partisan criticism alike, 
in its Lethean stream; that the generation which 
knew him, may bear on to the generation which 
knew him not, some of the worthy and in some 
ways, great, qualities and gifts of Edward Everett. 

There are many, I doubt not, who will join me, 
in this gracious task only the more gladly, because 
of characteristics in this life, with which in times 
of great struggle and bitterness in our nation's 
history, we were not in entire accord. 

Let me begin by saying with perfect frankness, 
right here among his townsmen, among some who 
knew him intimately, and loved him deeply, and 
marked every step, and listened to every word 
with unmingled admiration, that on the one hun- 
dredth anniversary of his birth, studying his 
character, when the angry tumult of the past 
generation has been laid to rest, I think far 
more highly of Edward Everett than I did thirty 
years ago. Born into the dawn of the anti-slavery 
struggle, of Quaker lineage holding so firmly 
to its first principle of personal freedom that my 



1G CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

earliest recollections are of hearing such a question 
as this when we sat down at a meal as invited 
guests, "Art thou quite sure that there are no 
rewards of slave labor on thy table ? " — it was 
hard to give much praise to any man, whose 
ringing words might count for so much, and yet 
who was as silent as the Egyptian Sphinx before 
a movement of such supreme importance. 

We of the anti-slavery faith could ill bear that 
an orator of such remarkable presence, and win- 
some voice, who had such a felicitous faculty 
and habit of weaving passing incidents and anec- 
dotes into his speech, that when he went to 
Brunswick to give his lecture on "Washington, 
and all Bath came to hear him, he told of the wife 
of a Bath ship-master disabled by sickness, taking 
command of her husband's vessel and bringing it 
in good condition from San Francisco, so that it 
seemed as if the lecture were written around that 
incident ; but that when he gave the same lecture 
at Hartford, on the very day on which Charles 
Sumner was struck down in the Senate Hall, and 
when all New England was ringing with the 
threats of righteous indignation, he could pass in 
utter silence that greatest crime that a long-suffer- 
ing North had to bear. 

And although he repeated that famous oration 
one hundred and twenty-nine times throughout the 
land, raising for Mount Vernon the magnificent 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 17 

sum of over sixty-eight thousand dollars, he 
omitted to mention the one act, which, touched 
by his magic words, would have been the glory 
of the oration, and which was in those years the 
crowning merit of the statesman's life to the human 
heart of America, — that Washington tore the fet- 
ters from his own slaves, and made them freemen. 

There were many things, in that great conflict, 
hard for the friends of the anti-slavery cause ever 
to forget, in the calculating silence of so many 
men eminent in gifts and in station ; — and of men 
too who were so noble, so full of sympathy for 
the opjoressed, such true patriots, such lovers of 
humanity. It points a lesson however for the 
young men of every generation, — when you are in 
doubt in the great game of life, over any moral 
question, play the card of humaj liberty. 

Everett was very like Channing in this respect. 
Both at heart were anti-slavery; both at heart 
prayed and labored for human welfare; but Chan- 
ning too did not like the methods and the noise 
of the agitators. Men of great refinement, of a 
sensitive nature, can ill bear the somewhat harsh 
measures, and often the rude manners, of re- 
formers, — for those who already have the suc- 
cesses, the easy places and the strong positions of 
life cannot see how society is greatly astray or 
how to go about to better it ; — and it was only 
after Samuel J. May, burning with an enthusiasm 



18 CE^TENISTIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

which for the moment overcame his reverence for 
Dr. Channing, exclaimed — "Why have you not 
spoken to the nation long ago, as yon, better than 
any other, conld have spoken?*' — that Dr. Chan- 
ning replied, — "I have deen silent too long," — 
and he, the most commanding character in this 
land, was silent no longer. 

Oh, if Edward Everett too, conld have lifted np 
that voice of his, purer and more ringing than 
any Moscow bells, to reach to all onr borders, — he 
who conld say such withering words for slavery 
in Greece, and bondage in Rome, and oppression 
everywhere except at home in this land he truly 
loved so well, — we can all see now how the conflict 
might have been avoided. But this is only to say 
that if all men loved the truth, error would not be; 
if all men strove for peace, strife would vanish ; 
if all men practised the virtues they praise, a 
commonwealth far better than any ideal republic 
would be already established. The steps of 
humanity must be slow, and through great 
dangers, and awful conflicts, and desolating 
wars. 

"When too the fierce struggle was drawing to 
its successful issue; when it was safe to be anti- 
slavery, and popular to be on the side of the 
Union, it was hard to hear these voices of leading 
clergymen and writers, which had been silent, and 
the eloquence which had been turned to other 



BERTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 19 

themes, receiving such unbounded plaudits; and 
to find their friends and descendants trying to 
make it appear that they were all the time on 
the anti-slavery side. 

Still we have for them only gratitude, — they 
were famous men and we praise them. They 
were true to their way of meeting these ques- 
tions; they loved their country as much as we 
did. It is a part of the old wonder, and the old 
condemnation, that these who came at the eleventh 
hour, have been made equal unto those which 
have borne the burden and heat of the conflict. 
We can say with Bryant: "If I have uttered any- 
thing in derogation of Mr. Everett's public character 
at times when it seemed to me that he did not resist 
with becoming spirit the aggressions of wrong, I 
now, looking back upon his noble record, retract 
it at his grave. I lay upon his hearse the 
declaration of my sorrow that I saw not the 
depth of his worth, that I did not discern under 
the conservatism that formed a part of his nature, 
that generous courage which a great emergency 
could so nobly awaken." 

Edward Everett had too, firmness in dealing 
with any matter, when he came face to face with 
its moral issues ; for before slavery became a 
partisan question, once when a colored boy was 
offered for examination at Harvard, and it was 
suggested that he would not be admitted, Mr. 



20 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

Everett said, "the admission to Harvard College 
depends upon examination; and if this boy passes 
the examination, he will be admitted; and if the 
white students choose to withdraw, all the income 
of the college will be devoted to his education;" 
for he thoroughly believed in the possible in- 
tellectual development of the colored race. But 
we must remember that this incident which al- 
ways received the warmest applause was early in 
his life, and before slavery had become a bitterly 
partisan issue. 

It is almost incredible, how early that literary 
life began, which was pursued with such diligence, 
and with such rich results to the very last. Near 
the house where he was born, was a dame-school, 
and here at the age of three he learned to read 
before he was out of his child-lisp. Before he was 
five he must have spoken that little piece (there 
are surely some of my younger hearers to whom 
it is new, and for their sake the older will forgive 
what to them is so familiar) which was written 
for Everett's first public declamation by Dr. Thad- 
deus Mason Harris, the minister of the First Church 
of Dorchester, for his little boy with the roan 
colored hair. 



Pray how should I, a little lad, 
In speaking, make a figure? 

You're only joking, I'm afraid, - 
Do wait till I am bigger. 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVP^RETT. 21 

But since you wish to hear my part 

And urge me to begin it, 
I'll strive for praise, with all my heart, 

Though small the hope to win it. 
I'll tell a tale how Farmer John, 

A little roan-colt bred, sir, 
And every night, and every morn 

He watered and he fed, sir. 
Said neighbor Joe to Farmer John, 

' Aren't you a silly dolt, sir, 
To spend such time and care upon 

A little useless colt, sir?' 
Said Farmer John to neighbor Joe, 

' I'll bring my little roan up, 
Not for the good he now can do, 

But will do when he's grown up.' 
The moral you can well espy, 

To keep the tale from spoiling, 
The little colt, you think, is I, — 

I know it by your smiling. 
And now, my friends, please to excuse 

My lisping and my stammers ; 
I, for this once, have done my best, 

And so — I'll make my manners." 

As my personal recollections of Edward Everett 
begin with him at church, let me speak next of 
his life as a minister, which included however such 
a brief period of his busy career. Before I was 
ordained, one very hot Sunday in July, I was 
preaching in the church then on Chauncey Place, 
when the first person I recognized in the congre- 
gation was Mr. Everett, then near the close of his 
distinguished life. There is always perhaps a mo- 
mentary shudder on the part of a young minister 



22 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

when he attempts to speak before persons venerable 
in the experiences of life, who have thought so 
much more profoundly than himself about the deep 
problems of religion, who have every mental 
equipment, and are perfect in speech. What can 
they care about the superficial utterances of one 
who knows so little of the things of the spirit — 
or the staggering questions of existence, of the 
Eternal ? Bnt the reflection which restores one to 
self-possession is that he has the authority of those 
who do know of these things in the only way they 
can be known, — by the power of the spirit ; that he 
is a messenger of the Christ; that behind him is the 
lesson of the ages; that around him are the same 
crying needs: and with all these, the difference 
of a few years counts for little. The aged and 
the most cultivated are always fonud to be the 
most lenient critics of the young. 

In the afternoon of that sweltering summer Sun- 
day, in that church, with its glass roof which might 
have been designedly planned for the roasting of 
heretics, he was again in his pew, — full of pressing 
cares, a multitude of addresses on every subject 
of literature and of statesmanship, busy as most 
of us would have hardly a right to use the word, — 
and yet with time enough to be in his place at 
church twice every Sunday to bear testimony to 
the need and helpfulness and joy of worship ; 
time too with all dignity and graciousness to say 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 23 

a word of satisfaction and encouragement to the 
young minister not yet out of his divinity studies. 

Edward Everett was not quite twenty years old 
when he was ordained a minister over the old 
Brattle Square Church in Boston, and persons who 
were present speak of that event, and the interest 
it created in Boston, as unparalleled. With a 
youthful modesty, even timidity, yet with a dignity 
which became the matures t years, and with a deep 
sense of the reverence which became the sanctuary, 
it was thought that the mantle of the gifted and 
lamented Buckminster had indeed fallen upon him. 
Sunday after Sunday that church was crowded 
beyond example with the most interested congre- 
gations. 

His ministry was very brief, only about two 
years, when he abandoned theology to give 
his attention to education and literature. I am 
not aware that he ever dropped into any ear the 
reasons which induced him, after so brief a trial, 
to give up a profession for which he had been so 
well fitted, and in which there lay before him the 
most abundant and helpful promise. While he 
was settled over the Brattle Square Church, he 
published a book on the "Evidences of Chris- 
tianity," and although it is not of the least worth 
among theological scholars of today, it shows the 
spirit of wonderful energy, of careful preparation, 
of thorough training, which Mr. Everett carried 



24 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

into everything that he undertook. For a young 
man, with the care of a large parish, it was a 
stupendous labor. It shows too that there must 
have been in him something of the love of con- 
troversy, as also does that letter of his, published 
a few years later, to a friend who asked his advice 
about leaving the Congregational order of worship 
to go where there was a liturgy, because he liked 
a form of prayer and because it would please his 
wife. Although it is written in a tone of con- 
siderable bitterness, and with expressions which in 
later years he would hardly have used, it shows 
how true he always was to his convictions. "I 
too," he said, w am fond of a form of prayer, but 
I like the substance of prayer better," and "I am 
not prepared to see fashion, example, persuasion 
and courtesy go to such length, and carry 
Christians to an altar where they cannot take their 
hearts and consciences with them." 

Mr. Everett preached very rarely after he gave 
up the ministry, but of a sermon in Washington in 
the Hall of the House of Representatives, Justice 
Story wrote, "the sermon was truly splendid and 
was heard with breathless silence." Eufus King 
said that he "had never heard a discourse so full 
of unction, eloquence and good taste"; and John 
Quincy Adams, careful and critical church-goer, 
putting into his diary his judgment of every ser- 
mon and every preacher, said " it was without 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 25 

comparison the most splendid composition as a 
sermon that I ever heard delivered." 

There was not only the remarkable acquirement 
of one so young, there was not only gracefulness 
and eloquence and dignity and reverence, but there 
was the strange, indescribable influence of a mar- 
vellously sweet and resonant voice. A friend of 
mine said, "I use not the word silver as a hack- 
neyed term, to any voice that has the element of 
sweetness, but several years ago, listening to the 
bells of Moscow which have a maximum of silver, 
and are almost all the time ringing, I was per- 
petually reminded of Mr. Everett's oratory." 
" This," said Henry Clay, w is the acme of 
eloquence." 

When Mr. Everett gave up the Brattle Square 
Pulpit for the Chair of Greek at Harvard, there 
was not only great surprise but great disappoint- 
ment. It was thought that he had chosen an 
inferior position: that he was hiding his light. Per- 
haps he knew better where his real gifts and pref- 
erences lay. Immediately began that wonderful 
career in literature and politics, which for its dili- 
gence, its thorough training, its varied and elegant 
knowledge, its absolute rectitude, and its unfaltering 
patriotism, has hardly been surpassed in our history. 
The Phi Beta Kappa Oration in 1824, which was 
the greatest opportunity of his life, was most 
grandly met. There is but one voice in the 



26 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

traditions of the brilliant scene and his overpower- 
ing eloquence. The old Church in Cambridge was 
packed to its uttermost. Lafayette had come back 
in his old age to visit the land for whose liberties 
he had fought in his youth, and a grateful and 
admiring country followed every step and hung 
upon every word. The most cultivated audience 
this country could gather was eager to hear the 
orator whose reputation was already so high, and 
in its midst was the hero and patriot of two lands. 
The audience listened with hushed breath and 
deepening admiration; and when Everett ended with 
those words of welcome to Lafayette, which every 
school boy knows, it was with a triumph of elo- 
quence which has rarely occurred in the world's 
history. Every face was bathed in tears. The 
audience shook and swayed with emotion, and 
then burst into tremendous cheers. 

At once Everett's popularity became so great that 
he was loudly and persistently appealed to, to enter 
politics, and in 1825 he became a member of Con- 
gress.. As when he left the ministry for literature, 
there was great surprise and regret, still more was 
he found fault with for exchanging the peaceful 
kingdom of letters for the noisy arena of politics, 
or as one of his critics said, " that a gem of such 
rare water, should be so unprofitably set." 

I do not share this feeling in the least. I am 
not at all surprised at the fascination of politics over 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 27 

so many minds; and surely we see to-day as never 
before, that there is for ns no security and no prog- 
ress until those of the finest gifts, and the best 
culture, and the highest purpose, enter that sphere. 
From that time to the close of his days what a 
full and rich life his was, with only perhaps the 
shadow of disappointment that for a few years 
his own state was not in greater sympathy with 
his conservatism. As Minister to the Court of 
St. James, as President of Harvard, as Secre- 
tary of State of the United States, as Senator from 
Massachusetts, as nominee for Vice-President, (on 
a forlorn hope indeed) every honor was con- 
ferred upon him. Universities at home and abroad 
vied with each other in giving him their degrees, 
and no occasion was complete without the grace 
and finish of his classical eloquence. And every- 
thing that he did was so finished. It reminds 
you of those days in Athens when men hurried 
even before the dawn, to listen to the conversation 
of those orators whose speech was as finished as 
the Parthenon. You may say that he studied his 
intonation, that he practised his gestures for days 
before the glass, that there was nothing spontane- 
ous, nothing unpremeditated, yet the fact remains 
his oratory was graceful and attractive and con- 
vincing. I have been told that in one of his 
orations he used a certain figure, and illustrated 
it by dipping his finger in a glass at his side, and 



28 CEXTEN^TIAL AXXIVEESARY OF THE 

raising it let fall a drop of water. It seemed simple, 
natural, unpremeditated, forcible, and yet weeks 
before he first did it he had corresponded with 
the most accomplished elocutionists, as to its pro- 
priety and effect. It was this marvellous habit and 
work of preparation which made him* ready, even 
at a moment's notice, to speak with such persuasion. 
Many others have practised all those arts with no 
results whatever. With him everything was so 
artistically finished that at the end of his addresses 
you felt like saying as Voltaire did of a favorite 
work, that he could praise it in no other way than 
by writing at the bottom of every page, "pulchre, 
bene, optime." 

His power of working was remarkable. Most 
of us under the stress of our engagements think 
that if we spend sixteen, eighteen or twenty-one 
hours at our desks without interruption we are 
doing fairly well ; and when one asked a great 
German student how many hours he spent a day 
at his work, he answered with a sigh, "Ach, nur 
leider achtzehn." Yet in the preparation of one 
of his important state paj^ers, Edward Everett 
spent 35 hours of unbroken toil. How often at 
the close of a busy day have I looked, not with- 
out a momentary feeling of envy, at a company 
of workmen laying down their tools at the stroke of 
the clock with an alacrity with which I never saw 
them take them up, while I had still before me more 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 29 

hours than they would say made a full day's 
labor: and yet, they are called the working classes ! 
Perhaps there has not been another American 
who made the acquaintance, or received the hos- 
pitality, of so many of the aristocracy of Europe; 
Queen Victoria, the Emperor Nicholas of Russia, 
Napoleon III., the Emperor of Austria, the Kings 
of Prussia, Saxony, Hanover, Naples, the Nether- 
lands, Belgium ; three kings of France, Louis 
XVIII. , Charles X., Louis Philippe ; Pope Pius 
VIL He enjoyed to the uttermost all that centuries 
of care, culture, art, refinement, had gathered around 
these Courts, and yet he never was more truly and 
unwaveringly a proud American than in their 
midst. He saw what there was in aristocracy that 
was fine, and he liked it, for that was a part of 
his nature too, but he saw through and beyond all 
that, to something of which those aristocracies had 
caught no glimpse. "The sound of my native 
language beyond the sea," he said, "is music to 
my ear beyond the strains of Tuscan softness or 
Castilian majesty." Indeed it was no infrequent 
criticism made upon Edward Everett that his con- 
stant and exalted praises of his own land abroad, 
partook too much of the nature of a Fourth of 
July oration. Let us not be troubled or jealous, 
if with all that is coarse and degraded which we are 
receiving from those old lands, something comes 
to us of all that is refined and refining; and let 



30 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

us not speak harshly of our foreign ministers who 
enjoy it, and praise it. It will not harm us, we 
have room for much of it, and it will not make us 
less American, nor less patriotic. 

It has been utterly impossible in so brief a 
notice of this distinguished man to even touch 
upon his many contributions to education, and to 
government, or to enter into any comparison with 
other scholars, orators and statesmen. The future 
years can do that still better than the present, — 
but in many respects he was truly great. At the 
age of twenty, when most young men are thinking 
what they will do in life, he was already eminent; 
and then in rapid succession came all the highest 
offices which an admiring state or nation could 
offer to him. He had not the massiveness of 
Webster, nor the flashing oratory of Phillips, nor 
the fiery utterance of Burke, but I do not know 
where to name one who combined more gifts of 
nature, with varied, elegant and ripe culture. His 
life from the beginning was without soil and 
without suspicion. Like Marcus Aurelius, he held 
to the divine will " whatever anyone does or says, 
I must be emerald and keep my color." ]STo 
mean nor unclean thing could come near him. 
Once when he was showing the value of art, 
culture and refinement, being asked, f what is it good 
for,' — he exclaimed "What is anything good for 
except as it refines and ennobles, and brings out 
the divine in man." 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 31 

His home-life was warm, tender and sweet. No 
man ever loved his country more truly or fervently, 
nor served it more faithfully, nor more unselfishly, 
making at the end only one request, that on his 
grave might be this epitaph — "through evil report 
and through good report, he loved his whole 
country." — And he did. 

It is well to keep before the coming generation 
such a life. It is a life to be proud of, to put in 
the list of famous men, to praise. Some patriot 
in a country's darkest hour; some prophet hearing 
the word of the Lord in his own soul; some 
evangelist of a new Gospel; some Socrates saving 
the youth of his land from corruption; some 
"Winkelried gathering the enemies' spears into his 
own breast; some Plato on whose lips the Attic 
bees had left their honey but not their sting; these 
are the men who make a land noble, and whom, by 
commemoration, we would multiply: — and when 
yonder home has fallen to decay; when every trace 
of his w T ays among us has vanished; when all the 
rural surroundings of his childhood have yielded 
to the growing demands of this busy city; when 
the last man who listens with joy to the story of 
his gifts, and then adds, "but I have heard him 
speak," has gone ; century after century, our citi- 
zens will gather here to keep with grateful hearts 
the birthday of Edward Everett. 



32 CENTEN1STIAI, ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

Alderman Hall : The Dorchester Historical Society is 
peculiarly fortunate in having for a vice-president one who 
is by instinct an antiquarian. On very short notice — yes- 
terday afternoon, later than two o'clock — he very kindly 
consented to give us this afternoon a sketch of the Everett 
house, the birthplace of Edward Everett. It was expected 
that another would prepare this sketch, but owing to illness 
he was unable to do so.* I have the pleasure of introducing 
to you Mr. James H. Stark. 

ADDRESS OF JAMES H. STARK, OF THE DORCHESTER HIS- 
TORICAL SOCIETY. 

THE BIRTH-PLACE OP EDWARD EVERETT.** 

Much interest has been shown of late years in 
regard to the house in which Edward Everett was 
born, not only from the fact of his birth there, but 
because the building' is a fine example of Colonial 
architecture. I have therefore prepared a history of 
the house and its owners as a contribution to the 
work in which our Historical Society is engaged. 

About 1737, Robert Oliver, a wealthy planter from 
Antigua, settled in Dorchester. His parentage is 
unknown, though he may have been the son of a 
Francis Oliver, who was in Dorchester in 1667 .*** 

* The reference was to the President of the Society, whose notes will be found in 
the appendix. 

** Only the outline of this paper was read at the meeting. 

*** Besides the well-known families of the name of Oliver, Savage mentions David 
0. of Pemaquid, 1670 ; Joseph of Scarboro, 1670 ; Nathaniel (a tailor) of Boston, 
1651 ; John of Boston, 1683 ; Thomas of Salem, 1637, with son Thomas and John ; 
Richard of Salem, 1688, and Thomas of Fairfield, Conn., 1650. There was a Robert 
Oliver of Boston, seaman, whose administrator was his brother-in-law, John Burns. 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 33 

He brought a wife, Anne, and one son Thomas, 
who became later the last Lieutenant-Governor of 
the Province of Massachusetts. In our town Robert 
bought a number of pieces of land, of which 30 
acres had been the property of Comfort Foster; and 
on this homestead lot, he built in 1745 a fine mansion 
which took the place of a more modest house. This 
mansion was on the corner of the way to Dorchester 
Neck, (now Boston street) , and on its side was the 
way over Fire-stone Hill, (now Pond street) . Tradi- 
tion records that he brought many black slaves with 
him, and dwells with scornful pity upon the fact that 
they carried burdens on their heads, in ignorance of 
the proper use of a Yankee wheel-barrow. (See 
]N"ew England Historical and Genealogical Register, 
vi, 237.) 

In Dorchester, Robert Oliver had born to him 
sons Isaac and Richard, and a daughter Elizabeth 
who became the wife of John Yassall, Jr. Sept. 
20 1751 his wife died; and in December 1762 he 
followed her. The Boston Post Boy for Dec. 20 
1762 has the following brief obituary. " Thursday 
Morning last, died at his Seat in Dorchester, in the 
63d Year of his Age, Col. Robert Oliver. A Gen- 
tleman of an extensive Acquaintance, remarkable for 
his Hospitality to All, was Kind to the Poor, and in 
his Military Character belov'd and esteem'd: his 
Family and Neighbours have met with a great Loss 
in this Bereavement. His Remains are to be interr'd 



34: CE^TEN^IAL AN^IVERSAKY OF THE 

Tomorrow at 3 o'clock in the Family Tomb at Dor- 
chester." 

About two years before this, Thomas, the oldest 
son of Robert Oliver, had married Elizabeth daugh- 
ter of Col. John Vassall of Cambridge, making a 
double connection by marriage between these two 
families. Robert Oliver in his will gave his son 
Thomas, a suit of mourning, a ring and twenty 
shillings, and no more, because Thomas's grand- 
father James Brown and his great-uncle Robert 
Oliver had already given him a greater estate than 
the father could. 

Thomas Oliver, a graduate of Harvard in 1753, 
thus began life under the most favorable auspices. 
His father-in-law was John Vassall of Cambridge, 
who married the daughter of Lt.-Gov. Spencer 
Phips. Closely allied with them by marriage were 
the Royalls, all three families being probably origi- 
nally of ~New England, then resident in Antigua, 
and returning here to enjoy their acquired wealth. 
All three families built houses which have lasted to 
our time ; Royall in Medford, Vassall in Cambridge, 
and Oliver in Dorchester. 

Thomas Oliver remained for several years in Dor- 
chester after his father's death, as two daughters were 
born there; the latter child, born in 1766, was baptized 
at Cambridge. Paige, in his history of that town, 
says that Oliver built in 1766 the fine mansion recently 
owned and occupied by James Russell Lowell. 



\ 



BIKTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 35 

Thomas Oliver was President of the Governor's 
Council (the Mandamus Council), and in 1774, by a 
curious mistake, he was appointed Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor. His immediate predecessor was Andrew 
Oliver, of a totally distinct family, and it is under- 
stood that the King thought he Avas appointing a 
brother of Andrew. He was forced by a popular 
uprising to resign this position, and quitted Cam- 
bridge, never to return. He remained in Boston for 
a year and left it in March, 1776, with the British 
troops. He lived in England for nearly forty years, 
dying at Bristol, Eng. 20 'Nov. 1815, aged 82. 
Though he forfeited a large estate here, he was 
wealthy from his possessions in the "West Indies; 
still owned by his descendants. He had six daugh- 
ters, of whom Mary married Charles Anthony Pat- 
ridge and Ann married Anderson. It is also 

stated that Thomas Oliver took for his second wife 
Harriet, daughter of Byam Freeman of Antigua. 

As to Robert Oliver's children, his will mentions 
four, viz. Elizabeth (Vassall), Thomas, Richard 
and Isaac. In 1763 (Stiff. Deeds 101, f. 35), Thomas 
bought for £1,200 the undivided share of his sister. 
In 1767 (Suff. Deeds, 110, f. 222) he bought for 
£1,200 the share of his brother Richard Oliver, of 
Fenchurch street, London. Isaac seems to have 
disappeared entirely, but he did not die in Dor- 
chester. 



36 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

As already noted, Thomas Oliver disposed of his 
property in Dorchester when he went to Cambridge. 
On July 1, 1766' (Suff. Deeds 109, f. 169) he sold to 
Ebenezer and Lemuel Clap, about 39 acres of 
land, reserving only the mansion-house and barn, and 
the land in front of it. This lot with the reserva- 
tion covered almost precisely the original posses- 
sions of Comfort Foster, because Foster sold, 29 
April 1729, (Suff. Deeds 45, f. 77) to Jonas Hum- 
phrey 8 acres and 19 rods of marsh, north of the 
home lot of 30 acres which he sold to Jacob Royall 
and which Robert Oliver bought. But 11 March 
1745-6, Jonas Humphrey sold these 8 acres to 
Robert Oliver, (Suff. Deeds 72, f. 242), and Thomas 
Oliver inherited 39 acres, and more. 



"We do not know who occupied the Oliver house 
for the next few years, but on 11 May, 1770, (Suff. 
Deeds 117, f. 54) Thomas Oliver sold the house 
etc. with three and one-half acres of land, for £250 
to Richard Lechmere giving him also about half an 
acre on the south front bounded easterly by land of 
old Mr. Jeffries, and on the other three sides by the 
high road. This little strip has remained appurte- 
nant to the house always, until the late John 
Richardson gave it to the city for a park. 

Richard Lechmere was the uncle by marriage of 
Oliver's wife, he having married Mary Phips, whose 



BIRTH OE EDWARD EVERETT. 37 

sister Elizabeth married Col. John Vassall. Rich- 
ard was born about 1727, and was one of the seven 
children of Thomas L., an Englishman of good 
family who came here and married, in 1709, Ann, 
daughter of Waitstill Winthrop. Thomas was for 
many years Surveyor General of the Customs in the 
northern district of America. At his death he left 
sons Nicholas and Richard, both refugees. Richard 
Lechmere died in Bristol, Eng. in 1814 aged 87. 



We will now trace the house and land. Richard 
Lechmere sold them 15 January 1771, to Ezekiel 
Lewis (Sum Deeds 118 f. 232) ; and Lewis sold 
them 4 April 1771, (Suff. Deeds 119, f. 36) to John 
Yassall. Yassall was a Royalist and a refugee, and 
was banished by act of the Legislature, his property 
being confiscated. On June 12, 1781, (Suff. Deeds 
133, f. 110) Richard Cranch, Samuel Henshaw and 
Samuel Barrett, a committee for such purposes, sold 
the property to John Williams. 

Jonathan Williams, John Williams and Elizabeth 
Williams, executors of the will of John Williams, on 
November 24, 1786, sold it to Bossinger Foster, 
(Suff. Deeds 159 f. 110.) 

Bossinger Foster sold it to Lucretia Callahan, 
November 2, 1787, (Suff. Deeds 161 f. 145). 

John and Lucretia Callahan sold it to Oliver 
Everett, November 10, 1792, (Suff. Deeds 174 
f. 213). 



38 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

Rev. Oliver Everett died on November 19th 1802. 
The following spring his widow with her family 
removed to Boston. From this time, until it was 
sold by Edward Everett, no members of the family 
resided there, it being leased to various persons. 

Edward Everett sold it to George Richardson 
November 10, 1833, (Norfolk Deeds 102 f. 299.) 

The executors of the will of John Richardson* 
sold to "William Stanford Stevens a part of the 
estate (SufF. Deeds 1852-246-48). 

The present owner, Dr. William Stanford Stevens, 
bought it October 19, 1888, mainly from patriotic 
motives, and he has done much to restore the mansion 
to its former appearance, so that its preservation is 
assured for many years. 



Alderman Hall. — We have with us this afternoon 
one who needs no introduction to a Dorchester audience, 
one who is well known for his broad, liberal, earnest 
views on all subjects, and whose words are welcomed no 
matter what he may choose to speak on. I take pleas- 
ure in introducing to you the Rev. W. E. C. Smith. 

* John Richardson, who inherited the property from his brother George, was a 
well-known citizen who resided here for many years. He possessed a strong love 
for horticulture, and under his skilful direction the estate was beautifully adorned. 

He gave to the city, at his death, which occurred September 22, 18S7, the plot 
of land known as Richardson Park as the following extract from his will shows 
(Probate Records, vol. 595, f. 11, October 17, 1887.) 

" I give and bequeath to the city of Boston the piece of land belonging to my 
estate, between Pond and Cottage streets, to be used as a park or any other purpose 
except being sold for house lots, otherwise it reverts to the heirs of my estate. 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 39 

ADDRESS OF REV. W. E. C. SMITH. 

I am sure we have all listened with interest, 
and, I trust, with profit to the fine oration that 
has been delivered here, this afternoon, and it seems 
to me almost a matter of regret that we cannot 
allow that oration to linger in our minds with- 
out, some of us, at least, speaking for myself, 
adding a word which may possibly dispel some of 
those pleasant thoughts which have already been 
left in our minds. But I was reminded, as I 
listened to what Dr. DeNormandie said, of some- 
thing which Carlyle once wrote in his book 
on Hero Worship. He said, that he could con- 
ceive of no truly great man who might not be 
all sorts of men, his thought being that if a 
man is truly great in one particular that man 
must necessarily be great in anything which he 
might undertake. We know perfectly well that 
Mr. Everett was great as a scholar ; we have 
been reminded of that. We know also that Mr. 
Everett was great as a teacher. We have been 
charmed, also, to listen to a description of his 
greatness as a statesman, which certainly is re- 
freshing in this age when we feel the need so 
much of statesmanship. (Applause.) We know 
perfectly well that Mr. Everett was great as an 
orator. And I like to think of him as great in 
that one short period of his service when he 



40 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

ministered as a clergyman at the church in Brattle 
square, the old Brattle Street Church. 

It has been said that his ministry was a short 
one, of perhaps two years, but that ministry was 
so fine, so superb in certain characteristics, that 
I think we may well pause and think of it, and 
we shall doubless find that it was great, just as 
we might expect it to be great. 

There are three things which unmistakably 
characterize Mr. Everett's ministry. The first is 
this, that he always welcomed new knowledge. He 
never was afraid of any learning. He knew per- 
fectly well, what we need never forget, that there 
is no knowledge in all this universe of God that 
can do any harm to faith, if that faith be real and 
if that faith be true. I think there is too much 
disposition on the part of those who hold faith 
and who cling to truth to be afraid lest some 
new learning, possibly brought from lands across 
the sea, possibly engendered here in our land, shall 
in some way undermine God's truth. Everett never 
felt that. Everett was absolutely certain that the 
truth of God could not be harmed by any knowl- 
edge that men may achieve, but, on the contrary, 
must be enriched and given a brighter light and 
a greater efficiency. And so he welcomed new 
learning. 

I remember that he lived in the age when 
the influence of Goethe was very great, — 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 41 

Goethe, the great prophet who anticipated the 
science of Darwin, the science of Spencer and of 
Wallace. Everett was familiar with the thought 
of Goethe, his literary power and his scientific 
genius. It was the age when the great historian 
JSTiebuhr revolutionized history, and told men that 
they had been considering as history that which 
of its very self testified to the fact that it was 
fabulous ; and Niebuhr gave to history a credible 
position, and made it that factor for power which 
it is today. And Everett was familiar with that 
new spirit of historic criticism. Then there was 
another great masterly mind that was making 
itself felt throughout the world at that time, and 
that was the great philosopher Hegel. Everett was 
conscious of that learning, that new knowledge 
which came through the successor of Kant. He 
welcomed all this knowledge, he had no fear of it. 
Without the slightest hesitation he was glad to 
receive any learning that he could find in this 
world, knowing that it would only make him the 
more efficient minister and servant of Jesus Christ. 
Then there was a second great element, it 
seems to me, in his ministry, which follows from 
this. He not only had the courage of his faith, 
and did not for one moment dread new learn- 
ing; he had also a supreme confidence in the 
capacity of men. He was not afraid to give all 
that he had to men. The wealth of his knowl- 



42 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

edge he was ready to pour out to those who 
listened to him in Brattle Street. Mr. Curtis has 
told us, in one of those fine papers of his in 
the Easy Chair, what a superb treat it was to go 
into the Brattle Street Church and listen to Mr. 
Everett, as he used his great learning that it 
might make clearer and more helpful the great 
truths of the Christian religion. Mr. Everett did 
not say of the people to whom he was speaking, 
" I will accommodate myself to them ; I will not tell 
them all the truth because they are not familiar 
with the most recent scholarship, and they may 
be a little disturbed, possibly." " Milk for babes," 
the Apostle Paul said that on an occasion when 
it was necessary. Everett did not feel that it was 
necessary for him to withhold anything in his 
ministry. He had that thought, that one thought, 
that he would give all that he had if it were the 
truth. K I will tell the truth and I believe that it 
will vindicate itself, and that it will not be some- 
thing that shall overthrow the faith of those to 
whom I am ministering." He did not feel this 
possible to accommodate himself to lower standards 
and partial disclosures, seeming to be almost im- 
pertinent, in thinking that people's minds were not 
capable of receiving all that their minister was 
capable of receiving. 

And, finally, there is another element of his 
greatness which I hasten to speak of now 



BIKTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 43 

because we need to speak of it. We have heard 
something said today about the refinement of 
Mr. Everett, the delicacy of his touch in what- 
ever he worked, in whatever service he gave 
himself. He stands before us as a man chival- 
rous and courtly, a man, we may say, who was 
every inch a gentleman. Whatever he dwelt upon 
in his public discourses, he always touched 
with a care and with a superb refinement and 
grace which was always fascinating, and which, 
I think, must always command our respect. 
It was so with religious matters, with those 
truths which he had to do with in his ministry. 
He never was common or vulgar. He never did 
at any time one thing that would degrade the 
great truths of God. In this age in which we 
are living, I regret to say that we are treated 
to the wretched spectacle of seeing men whose 
business it is to deal with religious subjects, 
treat those subjects in a common and in a vul- 
gar manner. I claim that there is no thoroughly 
pious nature, there is no man sensitive to the 
sanctities of God, that is not stung and stunned 
by the familiarity with which some preachers and 
prophets treat God and man, duty and immortality. 
Edward Everett always walked as one who had 
taken his shoes from off his feet because he knew 
he was standing upon holy ground. He never 
for one moment allowed himself to degrade the 



44 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

great truths of God by professing familiarity, by 
taking God so intimately into his nature that he 
could talk about him as he might talk, possibly, 
about the common, everyday affairs of his life. 
I consider that to be a great element in the 
man's character. It was characteristic of the man. 
Always a gentleman, always fine, always sensitive 
to beauty and to perfection, when it came to the 
preaching of the Gospel there still was that deli- 
cacy and refinement of manner, that grace, that 
beauty, which made men feel the power of his 
ministry and the singular power and inspiration of 
his sermons. And whenever he preached, even 
though men might not yield their convictions to 
him, his utterances always commanded their re- 
pect, and always their admiration and confidence. 

There is an ancient story of how certain men 
were engaged in burying in the fields a dead 
man, and as they looked toward the horizon they 
saw a band of Moabites, and in haste they hurled 
the body into the sepulchre where there had been 
buried long years before a distinguished prophet 
of God. Then the quaint, beautiful story tells us 
that when this dead body touched the bones of 
Elisha, it revived and stood upon its feet. 

You know what that story means. It means 
that in that age, the childhood of civilization, men 
learned the great lesson that no true and great 
man can ever speak for God and for man in this 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 45 

world, and such a life cease to have its influence. 
Men learned the great truth then that we have 
been told today, that a man though dead may 
yet speak; that the dull, despairing and dead can 
be quickened by the life of a good and great 
man, even though his presence be withdrawn 
from us. 

I am glad today that there are so many young 
people here. It is a pleasure to me to see chil- 
dren here especially. I want to tell the children 
what I remember reading as a lad in one of 
Plutarch's stories. Plutarch said, in the introduction 
to one of his lives, that when he first began to 
write biographies he did so for the sake of other 
people, but he learned by and by, as he went on 
writing, that he was writing these biographies not 
so much, or certainly not always, for the sake of 
other people, but for his own sake, because in 
the fives of the great and good men of Greece 
and Rome he could see how to adjust and 
adorn his own character. Edward Everett's in- 
fluence has not ceased to be felt; and I believe 
that as we come to dwell in the thoughts of 
the future "upon his fife, its superb gentlemanli- 
ness, its fine grace, and its devotion to the pub- 
lic service, that that life will prove to be a power 
and a factor in helping us to shape our own fives 
and live more generously and more nobly for the 
service of our fellow men. (Applause.) 



46 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

Alderman Hall. — There is present this afternoon one 
who has been an educator for more than a half a 
century, and who has been master of the Dorchester 
High School for a quarter of a century. He was the 
personal friend, and the close friend, of Edward Everett, 
and at one time the teacher, the instructor, of Dr. 
William Everett, now Congressman Everett, and one who 
has always been known to us as deeply learned in all 
historical matters. We shall be pleased to hear from Dr. 
Elbridge Smith. 

ADDRESS OF DR. ELBRIDGE SMITH. 

Mr. Chairman: I did not expect to be called 
upon this afternoon. I know something of that 
nature was said to me yesterday, but I supposed 
that what I said then and repeated this afternoon 
wonld be considered as a decisive declination. I 
rise, however, under the impulse of intense in- 
terest in this occasion; and although I may not 
be wise in so doing, I venture to add a little 
to the story of the colored boy. I went to 
Cambridge the year after Beverly Williams died, — 
(for that was the name of the colored student, who 
would have entered Harvard College, had he lived) 
— and his friends happened to become my friends. 
He was under the care of the Rev. Joseph "Wilber- 
force Parker, D.D., the pastor of the First Baptist 
Church in Cambridge, who was a strong anti- 
slavery man, and a true Christian gentleman. I 
cannot state how he first became acquainted with 






BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 47 

Beverly, but he determined, as he had means, 
to give him a good education. He sent him to 
the Hopkins Classical School. He had previously 
been connected for a time with the Cambridge 
High School, but it was in the Hopkins Classi- 
cal School that he came in contact with Mr. 
Everett's son. 

You will find an account of Beverly Williams 
in one of Mr. Everett's orations (vol. 3, p. 183), 
before the Colonization Society in the city of 
Washington. There Mr. Everett, in the midst of 
an audience strongly sympathizing with the slavery 
party, ventured — he did not venture — he did, just 
what his noble heart prompted him to do; he gave 
Beverly Williams over to immortality by mention- 
ing his name as a schoolmate of his son and as 
the first Latin scholar in the school. (Applause.) 
And he did that where some anti-slavery men of 
that day would have carefully avoided any compli- 
mentary allusion to a negro. 

I could spend much time in spealdng about 
Mr. Everett, but I am wiser than to do so. I 
think no one of our public men has been more 
underrated than Edward Everett. It is a common 
impression (I meet with the expression of it 
constantly) that he did everything by intense 
labor. How many times I have heard scornfully 
this remark : w Oh, I don't want to hear anything 
about him; everything that he did smells of the 



18 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

midnight oil." I have heard this until I am weary 
of it, and I venture to improve this opportunity to 
enter an humble remonstrance against it. It is 
false. 

The truth, ladies and gentlemen, is this. Mr. 
Everett was a true man, and whenever he had an en- 
gagement he prepared himself properly for it, but 
when he was taken by surprise he was always ready. 
Four of the speeches in his volumes, to my certain 
knowledge, were given without the slightest notice. 
I once took particular pains to introduce him to 
an audience, when he did not know, until he 
was ushered into the room, that there was a 
human being in the building besides the party 
with which he was connected. One from the 
audience came forward and addressed him in a 
formal welcome. He replied with just the same 
freedom with which he always spoke, the same 
beauty. The editor of the paper in that city 
came and asked for a copy. I said to him, "I 
think I can get you a copy, but don't report him." 
He had a great horror of reporters. I went to 
Mr. Everett and asked him if he could give me a 
copy of his remarks. He said, "If I can recall 
them when I get back to Boston, I will do so 
with pleasure, but I shall not be in Boston until a 
week from next Saturday." I told the editor, 
"You will have the remarks." On the Monday 
following that Saturday I received them. I could 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 49 

not detect one word different from what he spoke; 
and, if yon will excuse me for saying it, I was 
credited with a fair memory. 

The speech at the dedication of the Cambridge 
High School I know was word for word, with 
a single exception, the same that he spoke upon 
the platform, and it was a physical impossibility 
that he should have known what he was going to 
say before he entered the school house, for the 
speech was founded on what was said to him 
after he entered the school house. 

I say this because I wish to improve the op- 
portunity by remonstrating against the miserable 
notion that he could not write anything without 
the greatest care, without the most diligent 
j)reparation. 

In 1859 I was in the city of Washington and 
fell into the very agreeable company of Mr. 
George J. Abbott — I think I give the name 
correctly — who was one of the chief clerks in 
the State Department. Finding that I was ac- 
quainted with Mr. Everett, he gave me a very 
interesting account of his history at the State 
Department. He said that he regarded Mr. 
Everett as the ablest man who had been in that 
department dming the several administrations 
with which he had been connected, and then 
spoke of that remarkable State paper on the trip- 
artite convention which was very modestly 



50 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

proposed by France and England in regard to 
Cuba. The modest proposition was that the 
United States should agree forever to secure that 
island to Spain. The question came to Mr. 
Everett from Mr. "Webster, who had preceded 
him in that department. The answer has settled 
that question forever. It was a very remarkable 
State paper, no one in our diplomatic history 
more so. 

Mr. Abbott said: "Mr. Everett came down to 
the department that morning with a large roll 
of manuscript in his hand, and said to me, *Mr. 
Abbott, please copy this, keep it close, and have 
it ready for to-morrow's mail.' I called my swiftest 
copyist, gave him proper directions, and sent him 
to his desk, which he did not leave except for a 
brief lunch until ten o'clock at night, though that 
paper was written the night before." He must 
have burned a good deal of midnight oil that night. 
I could relate incidents of this kind by the hour, 
and you may be perfectly sure, if you ever meet 
with this talk about midnight oil, that Mr. Everett 
did not burn any more of it than other men in 
his situation. 

I wish also to say, lest I may seem to en- 
deavor to contradict what has been so admirably 
said from the platform, that he did take pains, 
and the care with which he prepared himself for 
the marked passages of his orations do him no dis- 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 51 

credit. "When he gave his great eulogy on La 
Fayette in Fane nil Hall, he threw one of our 
public men almost into spasms of admiration. The 
close of that oration was not second to that of the 
Phi Beta Kappa, when La Fayette himself was 
present in person. At that time he was present 
only by his bust upon the platform. ]^ow this 
gentleman went out to Cambridge full of enthu- 
siasm in regard to the power of the orator. "When 
he was told that Mr. Everett had been preparing 
himself for more than a week for that exercise, he 
was fool enough (you will excuse me for the re- 
mark) to go into ecstasies of rage and represent 
that he was a lrypocrite and a humbug. Yet that 
same man would talk about Demosthenes declaim- 
ing on the sea shore, he would talk about Cicero, 
but Mr. Everett could not be allowed to spend time 
over his work. That same man would take some 
of the manuscript of Pope and show two, three, 
four, five and six corrections before reaching the 
form that he desired, and the same with Milton; 
but Mr. Everett was not to be allowed to do 
anything of that kind. Everyone who is ac- 
quainted with the history of literature knows 
very well the truth of what Daniel Webster said, 
that great work is only done by great effort, 
and he himself was the very last one to claim 
that great work could be done in an indifferent 
manner. (Applause.) 



52 ce;n t te^nial m t otveesaet of the 

But what will these w midnight oil " gentlemen 
say when told that it was to his remarkable 
ability in extemporaneous discourse, and that, too, 
under very adverse circumstances that he was 
indebted for his nomination to Congress. Dr. 
J. T. K. Lothrop relates the following: 

"In 1823, some of the eminent gentlemen at 
Cambridge, then resident professors, took up the 
thought, not without some quite substantial reasons, 
that the Fellows, as they are termed in the 
charter members of the Corporation, as we com- 
monly designate them, should be chosen from 
among themselves, that the authoritative body 
controlling the college having primarily the charge 
of all its interests and the conduct of all its 
affairs should be composed of the working men 
on the spot who best understood its condition 
and its wants, and were most competent to carry 
it on successfully, rather than of gentlemen en- 
gaged in other occupations and living in Boston, 
Salem, or some more distant place. In 1824 
they prepared a memorial to this effect, addressed 
to the Corporation who referred them to the 
Board of Overseers before which body a hearing 
asked for and granted was subsequently held. 
The late Andrews Norton, Dexter Professor of 
sacred literature, and Mr. Everett, were selected 
to represent the memorialists at this hearing. 
Mr. Norton read a very valuable paper, marked 



BIRTH OF ED WARD EVERETT. 53 

by concise accuracy of statement and closeness 
of reasoning- for which he was distinguished. 

"Mr. Everett, without manuscript, with only a 
few brief memoranda such as a lawyer would 
use before a jury, addressed the Board in a 
speech occupying more than two hours. He was 
interrupted at times by gentlemen of the Board, 
adverse to the position of the memorialists, the 
accuracy, the pertinence or propriety of his state- 
ments questioned, and in one instance if not 
more the decision of the Chair (Lieut.-Grovernor 
Morton, presiding), that he was not in order, re- 
quired him to change his line of argument and 
remark. Nothing, however, seemed to confuse 
or discompose him. 

w The situation was novel and trying, yet he 
sustained himself with an admirable degree of 
self-possession, and conducted his case with great 
ability. I have always supposed that it was the 
exhibition of his powers on this occasion, the 
coolness and tact with which he conducted him- 
self in an argument, and sometimes almost a 
debate, before a body of eminent men, some of 
whom were opposed to his position that first 
suggested his nomination to represent Middlesex, 
in Congress- and that his splendid and eloquent 
oration before the P.B.K., only helped to con- 
firm his nomination and secure his election." 



54: CE^TENOTAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

Alderman Hall. — There is no one present to-day 
who is better qualified to respond for the sturdy settlers 
who came over in the ship "Mary and John" than 
the pastor of the Pilgrim Church. I believe that the 
Pilgrim Church occupies the site, very nearly the same 
location, of the ancient First Church of Dorchester. I 
take pleasure in calling upon the Rev. Mr. Albright. 

ADDRESS OF REV. W. H. ALBRIGHT. 

It is not expedient, dear friends, and it would 
not be prudent for me at this very late hour to 
occupy more than two or three minutes in the 
word or two that I am glad to say in connec- 
tion with this occasion. And first let me say 
this, that this commemoration service will itself 
be commemorated. I mean by this, that recog- 
nition, very large recognition of it, will be taken 
throughout this country, and not only in this 
country, but it will be noticed, too, in England, 
that here, at this point, near the birthplace of 
Edward Everett, this commemorative service has 
been held. I am very sure large attention will 
be called to it. We honor ourselves when we 
honor the memory of so distinguished and 
worthy a man. 

Let me say just this also, that we who are 
the newer element in Dorchester, are coming to 
realize that it means something to live here in 
Dorchester. I think I am realizing that more 
and more every day; and I am only one of a 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 55 

large number coming into this region within the 
last few years, not so well posted on its history 
as very many, having to look up perhaps what 
we know about it, but enjoying the advantages 
which it gives to us to live in a section of this 
Commonwealth and of this country so distin- 
guished by the lives and labors of great men. 

So I am glad that this service has been held, 
for the newer element in Dorchester. I think 
Mr. Smith spoke wise words when he said that 
this service will do good to the young who are 
here present. In those galleries filled with boys, 
some seed now dropped into a boy's mind, get- 
ting into his heart, may make of him a second 
Edward Everett. May it be so, and Dorchester 
perpetuate itself in that way ! 

I was delighted with the discriminating, ear- 
nest and eloquent address of Dr. De]N~ormandie. 
It was so admirable in its spirit; not fulsome, 
as is so often the case with addresses of that 
sort, but so wise and so earnest and so helpful 
to us all. "We have all been greatly benefited. 

Then if I should say a word for Old Eng- 
land, if England herself could speak through a 
fitting representative, what a word England 
would say to-day for this gentleman who had so 
distinguished a place there, and lived so much 
in the love of eminent Englishmen, especially in 
the admiration and love of that brilliant literary 



56 CEKTEOTJTAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

man, Lord Macaulay ! "What a friend he was to 
this man whose life and labors we are com- 
memorating today ! 

Now, without detaining you, I just wish to 
express this closing thought, — that we may have 
more occasions of this sort. There are memories 
to be cherished, there are lessons to be learned, 
there are helpful things to be said of this 
region in which we live, that has such a his- 
tory known to all the world. We have come 
into this large inheritance, we are later comers, 
and we are to conserve what has come to us; 
not only to conserve it, not only to hold it; not 
only to inherit it, but to perpetuate it, to be 
worthy of it, to transmit it to those who are 
coming after us to show that we cherish these 
principles which underlie our national liberty, 
for which these men gave so much, stood so 
well, and have come into history with honor 
because of their labors and services. I hope 
occasions of this kind will be more frequent 
here in our midst, for our good not only, but 
for the benefit of the generation that will follow 
us. (Applause.) 

Alderman Hall. — There is present this afternoon a 
member of the Everett family, one of the grandsons of 
Edward Everett, and a member of the Boston Common 
Council. He is well known at City Hall, and is es- 



BIRTH OP EDWARD EVERETT. 57 

teemed, and I might say beloved, by all of his associ- 
ates and those who have connection with the city 
government. He is here as chairman of the committee 
on the part of the Common Council. I take pleasure 
in having the honor of presenting to you Mr. Sidney 
B. Everett, 

ADDRESS OF SIDNEY B. EVERETT. 

Mr. President, Gentlemen of the Dorcliester 
Historical Society, Ladies and Gentlemen : — 
In the dual capacity in which I appear before 
you today, both as representing the Boston City 
Government, (I believe the first member of my 
family that has ever been elected to an office 
in the Boston City Government,) and also as the 
grandson of Edward Everett, the able oration 
about whom you have just heard, it gives me 
great pleasure, although not altogether entire 
satisfaction, as I had hoped that the duty would 
be done more ably by my uncle, Dr. Everett, — 
but it nevertheless gives me great pleasure to 
thank you today for the touching and appre- 
ciative tribute to my grandsire that I have wit- 
nessed. In this great republic a man has to 
stand or fall more or less by himself. Some 
are placed in the world with more material ad- 
vantages and more backing, financially and other- 
wise, than others; but, as a general thing, it 
must be taken as an axiom that we are here as 
individuals, and that one man should stand alone 



58 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

as much as another without any conditions of 
birth affecting his career. Nevertheless, it cannot 
be altogether out of place for a citizen to take 
some pride in his birth and ancestry. I do not 
say that it should necessarily affect the verdict 
of his fellow citizens when he appeals to them, 
but it certainly should serve as an incentive to 
do well by his fellow citizens and to properly 
regulate his public and private conduct in life. 

I cannot say too much, both on my own 
part, and, I am sure, on the part of the Everett 
family, of thanks and gratitude for the wonder- 
fully touching and feeling oration of Dr. De- 
!Normandie. It was never my pleasure to know 
my grandfather. I was born three years after 
he died. His doings, therefore, are but history 
to me. But as one who is tolerably well versed 
in family tradition, I feel sure this afternoon, 
that he has touched the spirit of my grand- 
father's life and objects as well and as completely 
as is possible to be done. A eulogy should not 
be too fulsome, but at the same time should do 
justice to the dead and to the living; and our 
family will, I am sure, always esteem, as one 
of the most cherished possessions among our 
archives, a copy of Dr. DelSTormandie's oration 
as delivered today. 

It would not be fitting for me to make any 
speech on this occasion. My duty merely is to 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 59 

thank you, first on behalf of the city of Boston, 
and secondly on behalf of my family, for your 
attention and tribute this day. I most heartily 
thank the Dorchester Historical Society for the 
trouble they have taken today on account of this 
event, and I still more heartily thank Dr. De- 
Normandie for the oration he has delivered. 
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I thank 
you. (Applause.) 



The following letters were then read by the Chairman 



60 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 



LETTERS 



Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
Executive Department, Boston, April 4, 1894. 
Mr. Thomas Mair: 

Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your invitation to attend 
the meeting of the Dorchester Historical Society on the cen- 
tennial anniversary of Edward Everett, and I regret that 
another engagement, made several weeks ago, will prevent 
my attendance. 

Of all the long list of Governors which the old Common- 
wealth has had one could hardly be selected more worthy 
of honor and regard than Governor Everett, and if present 
I should be only too glad to add my tribute of respect to 

his memory. 

Yours very truly, 

F. T. Greenhalge. 



Commonwealth op Massachusetts, 
Council Chamber, Boston, April 9, 1894. 
Mess. Thomas Mair, W. S. Stevens, W. B. Mendum, and 
J. H. Stark, Committee on Invitations: 
Gentlemen: I am in receipt of your very courteous invi- 
tation to attend the special meeting of the Dorchester 
Historical Society on the afternoon of April 11, in com- 
memoration of the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth- 
day of Edward Everett. 

I should have much pleasure and interest in being present, 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 61 

but an important official engagement in connection with one of 
the State Institutions makes it impossible for me to do so. 

During the century now closing, few of her citizens better 
deserve to be held in grateful remembrance by the Com- 
monwealth than he. The many distinguished offices, to which 
he was called, were adorned by his character, learning, and 
eloquence. To his college, to his State, and to the Nation 
he was privileged to render illustrious service. When the 
country was plunged into the terrible conflict, which others 
sooner than he had seen to be inevitable, he gave lavishly of 
his splendid abilities to stimulate the sentiment of patriotism 
and unity which should again bind the nation into one. 

For young and old alike it is well that the memory of 
such lives of public service well performed should be made 
familiar and vivid. They are the enduring glory of the 
Commonwealth. 

I have the honor to remain, 

Very truly yours, 

Roger Wolcott. 



United States Senate, 
Washington, D.C., April 5, 1894. 

My dear Sir: I regret very much that the state of the 
public business here will make it impossible for me to be 
present at the meeting of the Dorchester Historical Society 
on April 11th, held to commemorate the centennial anniver- 
sary of the birth of Edward Everett. 

Mr. Everett's career was so long and distinguished that I 
could not hope, were I able to be present, to contribute 
anything to the general knowledge and appreciation of his 
public life. But I should have been very glad to have the 
opportunity to say a few words in regard to Mr. Everett's 
earnest support, through many years, of financial and eco- 



62 CENTEIOTAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

nomic policies which I believe to have been for the best 

interests of <the United States, and also in regard to his 

loyalty to the cause of the Union when Civil "War began in 

this country. 

I am, very truly yours, 

H. C. Lodge. 
To Thomas Mair, Esq. 



Department op State, 

Washington, April 13, 1894. 

Thomas Mair, Esq., Chairman: 

My dear Sir: In some way, owing to the great press of 

business here, your cordial invitation of the third instant was 

overlooked until this afternoon. 

Although it would not have been possible for me to be 

present on the occasion referred to, I very much regret the 

circumstance which prevented a timely response to your 

letter. 

Very respectfully yours, 

W. Q. GRESHAM. 

Washington, April 10, 1894. 

My dear Sir: Your letter of March 30, but mailed at 
Boston, April 6, reached me via Groton this morning. 

If I were in Massachusetts I should accept your invita- 
tion to attend the meeting of the Dorchester Historical So- 
ciety to be held tomorrow in commemoration of the birth-day 
of Honorable Edward Everett. 

Fit words will be spoken undoubtedly in recognition of his 
eminent services in the walks of literature, and of his dis- 
tinction as an orator when Massachusetts could boast of a 
Webster, a Choate, a Phillips, with whom Mr. Everett held 

high rank. 

Very truly, 

Geo. S. Boutwelil. 
To Mr. Thomas Mair, Boston. 



BERTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 63 

Boston, April 7, 1894. 
Dear Sir : I beg to acknowledge receipt of the polite invi- 
tation to Mr. A. H. Rice to be present at the commemorative 
service of the Dorchester Historical Society on April 11th. 
It would undoubtedly give him great pleasure to accept the 
invitation if he could do so, but he is absent at Asheville, 
N.C., where he will remain until about May 1st. 

Very respectfully, 

John H. Rice. 
Thomas Mair, Esq., Chairman, &c. 



Boston, April 5, 1894. 

My dear Sir: I regret that an engagement in Everett 
prevents my acceptance of the kind invitation of the Dor- 
chester Historical Society to attend its centennial of the 
birth of Edward Everett in Dorchester. I should be glad to 
express my appreciation of the character of that distinguished 
scholar and orator and of the patriotic and educational serv- 
ice he rendered the Commonwealth in every department of 
her civilization and progress. 

With cordial thanks for your courtesy I am 

Truly yours, 



John D. Long. 



Thomas Mair, Esq., Secretary. 



Springfield, Mass., April 4, 1894. 
Mr. Thomas Mair : 

Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your favor communicating 
to me the invitation of the Dorchester Historical Society to 
attend the service in commemoration of the centennial birth- 
day of Hon. Edward Everett on the 11th inst., and express 



64 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

to you for the Society my hearty acknowledgments of the 
courtesy. 

I regret to say that my engagements in court in this 
vicinity will prevent an acceptance, and therefore I must 
beg you to believe that my excuse is entirely sufficient 
under the circumstances. 

Yours truly, 

George D. Robinson. 



Boston, April 7, 1894. 
Thomas Mair, Esq. : 

Dear Sir: Your letter conveying the kind invitation of 
the Dorchester Historical Society to the commemoration of 
the centennial birthday of Hon. Edward Everett on the 11th 
inst., though dated March 30th, did not reach me until 
today. I regret that an engagement that will take me to 
New York on Tuesday, whence I shall not return until 
Friday or Saturday, prevents my acceptance. Cordially thank- 
ing you and the Society for the invitation, I am 

Very truly yours, 

J. Q. A. Brackett. 



Boston, April 4, 1894. 

My dear Mr. Mair: I thank you for the kind invitation 
of the Dorchester Historical Society to attend the commemo- 
rative services on April 11th, in honor of Edward Everett. 

I regret extremely to find that an important engagement 
long since made makes it impossible for me to accept the 
invitation. Were I able to, I would gladly join with the 
Society in its fitting tribute to the memory of this dis- 
tinguished son of Massachusetts, whom she will always 
remember as one of her greatest orators and statesmen. 

Very truly yours, 

¥m. E. Russell. 
To Thomas Mair, Esq. 



BIRTH OF EDWAKD EVERETT. 65 

Harvard University, 
Cambridge, April 6, 1894. 
Dear Sir: I regret that it will be impossible for me to 
be present at the Commemorative Services to be conducted 
by the Dorchester Historical Society on the afternoon of 
Wednesday, April 1 1 . 

My time on that day is all filled. 

Very truly yours, 

Charles W. Eliot. 
Mr. Thomas Mair. 



Boston, April 10, 1894. 
Mess. Thomas Mair, W. S. Stevens, W. B. Mendum, 
J. H. Stark : 
Dear /Sirs: I am obliged to be away from the city to- 
morrow and therefore cannot avail myself of your very kind 
invitation to be present at the special meeting of the Dor- 
chester Historical Society which is to be held in commemora- 
tion of the centennial anniversary of the birth of Edward 
Everett. I regret extremely that I cannot by my presence 
bear testimony of my appreciation of a career of which all 
citizens of Massachusetts must be especially proud. 
Very truly yours, 

William F. Wharton. 



101 Brattle Street, Cambridge, April 7, 1894. 
Bishop Lawrence regrets that a previous engagement for 
April 11 will prevent him from accepting the invitation of the 
Dorchester Historical Society for the centennial anniversary 
of the birth of Edward Everett. 

To Mr. Thomas Mair, Dorchester, Mass. 



06 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OE THE 

Boston, April 7, 1894. 
To Messrs. Mair, Stevens, Mendum and Stark, Commit- 
tee of Dorchester Historical Society for "Everett Memorial." 
Gentlemen: I regret exceedingly that my limited strength 
will not permit me to accept the invitation that you have so 
graciously extended. 

I am all the more sorry because my ancestors on my 
father's side, were all from Dorchester, my grandfather being 
born not very far from the Everett home; also I feel an 
interest in the celebration because I was elected an honorary 
member of the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical Society 
over thirty years ago and I myself for sixteen years was 
closely connected with Dorchester Churches, being pastor of 
the Harrison Square Church, N. Unitarian Church, and I 
entered Harvard University under Edward Everett as President. 
One speaker too, who is to be the orator for the day is 
my warm personal friend. 

You can therefore be well aware how sorry I am to be 
absent. 

Respectfully and cordially, 

Caleb Davis Bradlee, 
Pastor (pro tern.) of Christ's Church, Longwood. 



Washington, D.C., April 8, 1894. 
Hon. "W. H. Whitmore: 

My dear Sir: I have received the invitation to be present 
at the commemorative exercises to be held in Dorchester on 
the eleventh instant, being the Centennial Anniversary of my 
father's birth in that ancient town. Thanking you most 
kindly for this proposal, I find myself preengaged to the 
city of Everett, which is in the Congressional District which 
I have the honor to represent, as my father did two gener- 
ations ago. 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 67 

His associations with Dorchester were of the most tender 
and vivid character. He was never tired of alluding to the 
scenes and incidents of his boyhood; and he deeply re- 
gretted the circumstances which compelled the sale of the 
house where he was born. On the 4th of July, 1855, he 
accepted an invitation, which indeed had been given for the 
previous year, of the citizens of Dorchester without distinc- 
tion of party, to deliver an oration on the Anniversary of 
our National Independence. For this address, as I personally 
know, he prepared himself with exceptional care ; revisiting 
all the spots which had been dear to his youth, refreshing 
his memory of every historical incident which could possibly 
throw light on the history of his beloved birthplace, and 
constructing the more emotional and rhetorical parts of his 
address with very exceptional care. The day was exceed- 
ingly propitious. The audience was crowded. It was an in- 
teresting circumstance that the Governor of the State — Hon. 
Henry J. Gardner — was a native of Dorchester, the son of 
one of her most honored citizens. The President of the Day, 
Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, was very closely identified with 
your most cherished interests. My father was in some trepi- 
dation, for he had been much of an invalid in the preceding 
months, and had, indeed, appeared but rarely in public since 
he had resigned his seat in the United States Senate more 
than a year previously. Yet he spoke without weariness and 
with exceeding animation in a tent, always a difficult place 
of delivery, for two hours and twenty minutes, and gave a 
lively response to a toast at the dinner. 

The oration was received with the greatest enthusiasm and 
was the first of a series delivered in the last ten years of 
his life, far superior in fire and richness to any which he had 
delivered for at least ten years before. 

A very beautiful and appreciative account of some of the 
most striking passages in it was contributed by his much- 



68 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE 

prized friend, the Hon. Rufus Cboate, to the newspapers of 
the day. 

Wishing you a most successful celebration, and regretting 
that I cannot join with all who seek to do honor to my 
beloved father, 

I v am very truly yours, 

William Everett. 



Boston Public Schools, 
Rooms of the School Committee, 
Mason Street, April 10, 1894. 
Mr. Thomas Mair, Chairman, Committee on Invitations, * of 
Dorchester Historical Society: 
Dear Sir: Your kind invitation to the members of the 
School Committee to attend the services of .your society, 
commemorating the centennial anniversary of the birth of 
Edward Everett, has been received, and will be presented to 
the Board at their meeting this evening. 

I beg you to accept for myself and the School Commit- 
tee our thanks for the courtesy and thoughtfulness of your 
invitation. 

I am, Sir, 

Yours very respectfully, 

Fred. G. Pettigrove, 
President Boston School Committee. 



Washington, April 10, 1894. 

My dear Mr, May : It is only too certain that I cannot 
be in Dorchester to-morrow at the celebration of my uncle's 
birthday. 

I regret this extremely. I think the Society would have 
permitted me to say how pleasant were his memories of 






BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 69 

Dorchester, and perhaps to give some reminiscences of the 
celebration when he delivered his Dorchester oration. 

It is twenty-nine years since his death ; nearly the space 
of time allowed for a generation of men. 

I like to think that people know better than they did the day 
he died what was his full service to the people of Massachu- 
setts. Naturally at that moment of struggle, men thought 
most of his service to the Nation. 

It ought to be remembered that he stood, first, second 
and last for Public Education ; and that of the best. Our 
whole present organization in that matter dates from his 
initiation, when he was Governor. He appointed Horace 
Mann the first Secretary of Education, and he dedicated the 
first normal school in the United States. In after years he 
gave the impulse and the personal service which made the 
Boston Public Library what it is ; and I think it fair to say 
that it was his steadfast determination which has resulted in 
placing it at the very head of our Public Libraries. 

I do not like to think that because he was one of the 
most accurate of scholars — among the first of the orators 
of his time — and because his successes in Diplomacy were 
what they were — men should forget that he was the 
determined friend of the People — resolved always that at the 
public charge they should all have the best education which 
the time could give. 

With great respect dear Mr. May, and with great admira- 
tion: 

I am 

Truly yours, 

Edward Everett Hale. 



70 CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OP THE 

Boston, April 6, 1894. 
J. H. Stark, Esq. : 

My dear Sir: I do not know to whom I am indebted 
for an invitation to attend the special meeting of the 
" Dorchester Historical Society," unless it is to yourself, as 
I have not the pleasure of personally knowing the other 
gentlemen of the committee. 

I shall be most happy to be present if it is within my 
power. 

Enclosed, I send you some lines written by my sister, the 
late Mrs. Margaret R. Peabody, which may interest you in 
connection with the occasion. Some time ago they were 
published in the "Beacon." 

Again with thanks 

I am very truly yours, 

¥m. C. Codman. 



EDWARD EVERETT. 

BORN IN DORCHESTER, MASS., APRIL 11, 1794. 

While o'er the honored statesman's bier, 
A mourning people Lowly bend, 

And pay the tribute of a tear, 

To him who was his country's friend; 

A dearer title still is ours ; 

This ancient town would fondly claim 
A mother's right, who blessings pours, 

Upon her son's exalted name. 

Oh, with what fresh and heart-felt joy, 
The aged statesman would retrace 

The scenes, where, as a merry boy, 
He loved each youthful sport to grace. 



BIRTH OF EDWARD EVERETT. 71 

To us his earliest love was given, 

With us his youthful days were spent; 
When all the choicest gifts of Heaven, 

To bless his dawning years were lent. 

We glory in his brilliant fame ; 

We glory in his culture rare ; 
We glory in that splendid name, 

Whose praise is echoed everywhere, 

But oh ! the brightest gift of Heaven 

Was his in life, and his in death; 
We glory that to him was given 

A Christian's pure and trusting faith. 

Still linger in our hearts to-day, 

The echoes of his dying voice ; 
When for our foes he bade us pray, 

And in their welfare to rejoice. 

As in the dew of early youth, 

He loved the Gospel to proclaim; 
So at the last, the words of Truth 

Fell from his lips, in Jesus' name. 

Oh Christian statesman ! honored friend, 

Still let thy mantle on us rest, 
Till Heaven the gift of peace shall send 

To us, so long and richly blest. 

M. R. P. 



The singing of the National Hymn, followed by the 
benediction by Key. Arthur Little, concluded the 
ceremonies. 



APPENDIX. 



THE SITE OF THE TWO OLDEST DORCHESTER 
MEETING-HOUSES. 

(1631-1646).- (1646-1678). 



The search in regard to the property of Robert Oliver 
has led to the consideration of a more interesting question ; 
namely, that of the location of the old Meeting House. 

From the fact that the Legislature made an appropriation 
in 1894, (Resolves, chap. 100) for the erection of a monu- 
ment contingent upon the determination of this location, 
the matter is a practical one. 

It must be said that there were two meeting houses built 
in Dorchester, prior to the one which in 1678 was erected 
on Meeting House Hill. So little has been printed on this 
subject that it seems highly important to collect all the facts 
possible. 

Winthrop's Journal (printed ed. i, 86) under date of 19 
March 1631-2, states "Mr. Maverick, one of the ministers 
of Dorchester, in drying a little powder (which took fire by 
the heat of the fire-pan) , fired a small barrel of two or three 
pounds, yet did no other harm but singed his clothes. It 
was in the new meeting -house, which was thatched, and the 
thatch only blacked a little." It must have been built in 
the year 1631. 

The Annals written by James Blake (1688-1750) states 
that in 1633 they had at Dorchester " a Meeting-house for 



74 APPENDIX. 

the Public worship of God, but we have no Account when it 
was built." This shows that he wrote from inspection of 
the town records merely. Dorchester was settled early in 
June 1630, and services were held in the open air on June 
6. The records of the Church do not give any precise 
dates prior to 1633, in fact not prior to 1636. 

The result of our search has been a strong conviction that 
the First Meeting House (1631-1646) and the Second one, 
(1646-1678), were both placed on the common land of the 
town, on or near the oval plot bounded by Pond and Cot- 
tage streets. Probably the First building stood on low land 
at the east end of this oval, and the Second was placed on a 
little hill a few rods to the north west of that site. The 
west end of this oval is now Eichardson Park. 



We will first cite the Records of Dorchester, contained in 
the Fourth Report of the Record Commissioners of Boston. 

" By the whole consent and vote of the Plantation made 
Mooneday, 8th of October, 1633. 

Injprimus, it is ordered that for the generall good and well 
ordering of the affayres of the Plantation their shall be 
every Mooneday before the Court, by eight of the Clocke in 
the morning, and presently upon the beating of the drum, a 
generall meeting of the Inhabitants of the Plantation at the 
meeting -house, there to settle (and sett downe) such orders 
as may tend to the generall good as aforesayd ; and every 
man to be bound thereby without gaynesaying or resist- 
ance." (Dorchester Town Records, printed edit. p. 3.) 

Nov. 3, 1634, (Rec. p. 8) it is ordered "that there shall 
be a post stairs made to the meeting house in the outside, 
and the loft to be laid and a window on the loft. 






APPENDIX. 75 

17 Dec. 1635, (Rec. p. 14) voted "that no man shall fell 
any trees within 20 goads * of the meeting house." 

Oct. 2, 1636 (Records p. 19), "it is ordered that 4 
Barrells of powder in the meeting house of the Countryes 
store shall be disposed of and sould for the bringing in new 
powder in the place." 

January 16, 1636-7. (Records p. 21). An order pro- 
vides for monthly meetings of the selectmen, and their acts 
being approved therein " they shall at the next Lecture Day 
after Lecture read them to the Company of free men who 
are to be warned at present to stay. And then all acts and 
conclusions as shall not be contradicted by the major part 
of the free men present, shall stand for orders and bind the 
Plantation and every inhabitant thereof." 



It seems therefore that as early as 1631, as might be ex- 
pected, a meeting house had been provided for religious 
services and also for town meetings of a secular nature. 
For example see the incidental mention in 1656 (Rec. p. 
80) that the proprietors of the Neck land meet at the 
meeting house, and in 1658 (Rec. p. 91) that the Select- 
men "warn all the Commoners to meet at the meeting 
house to give their votes whether they would have the 
commons divided or no." As will be shown, in 1646 
a new house was erected with considerable pretensions 
to size and adornment ; but judging from the well-preserved 
remains of the first meeting house at Salem, we may safely 
presume that the first one in Dorchester was a mere 

* A goad as a measure of land in Dorsetshire, Eng., was 15 feet 1 inch. The term 
in this vicinity seems to be peculiar to our Dorchester records. 



76 APPEISTDIX. 

log-house. Its location cannot be exactly given, but the 
following citations will aid us. 

Dec. 17, 1635 (Records, p. 14) "It is ordered that no 
man shall fell any trees within 20 goads of the meeting 
house." 

June 27, 1636, (Eec. p. 17), ordered "that all that of 
Mr. Duncan's side shall have the ground to themselves be- 
fore their doores, makeing and maynetayneing a sufficient 
highway so far as Mr. Stoughton's, reserving as much as 
may set a meeting house between Goodman Johns and where 
Goodman Rockewell now dwells." 

January 16, 1636-7 (Rec. p. 22), ordered " that all that 
live Northwards from the meeting house shall [bring] their 
cowes into the open space before the meeteing' house, within 
an hower of [sunne] riseing, and their the Keepers to be 
ready to drive them away, and so to blow their home along 
the Towne ; and whosoever bring not their cowes before Mr. 
Stoughton's house within an hower of sunnerising, the Keep- 
ers shall stay no longer, [but] drive away those that are redy 
to the Pasture." 

This order was repeated 3 April, 1638 (Rec. p. 32) and 
Feb. 13, 1638-9 (Rec. p. 38). 

Sept 10, 1637, (Rec. p. 25) It is agreed by a Generall 
vote of all the Plantation that there shal be a meeteing 
house built betweene Mr Brankers and Mr [Leeds ?] it is 
agreed that a "100 £ shall be levied by a rate for the 
building of the house." 

Oct 30, 1638 (Rec. p. 35) "At a Generall meeteing at 
Mr. Stoughton's " 10 selectmen were chosen &c. 

Feb. 13, 1638-9 (Rec. p. 37) "It is ordered that Mr. 
Clarke shall have libertie to take in fower goads of land 



APPENDIX. 77 

next his pale toivards the meeteing howse, which is neare the 
barne that was lately Mr. Trowbridgs, the breadth to bee as 
his pale now stands." 

6. 11 mo. 1644 or Jan'y 1644-5 (Rec. p. 53), order con- 
firmed against felling trees about the meeting house. 

It seems very certain that in 1645 the matter of a new 
meeting house was urgent. 

26, 12 mo. 1644, i.e. Feb. 26, 1644-5 (Rec. p. 54) "it 
is agreed at a generall meetinge of the Towne, for peace and 
love's sake that there shalbe a new meeting house built on 
Mr. Hawards land, in the most convenient place betwixt 
Mr. Stoughton's garden and his barne ; and this agreement 
to stand firme except any considerable number of such as 
are absent from this meeting shall give any satisfactory 
reasons unto the 7 men, within 14 dayes, for any other alter- 
ation of the place." 

14, 1 mo (i.e. March) 1645 (Rec. p. 57) "it is ordered 
that a rate of 250 £ shalbe made for the building of a new 
meeting howse, and the Raters chosen are Edward Brick, 
William Sumner, Thomas Wiswol, William Blake, Roger 
Clap." 

"The overseers of the worke in building the meeting 
howse, who are to agree with the workmen, receive the 
rates and pay them, and agree with Mr Haward about the 
plot of land where the sayd meeting howse must bee sett : — - 
Mr. Glover, Nathaniel Duncon, Mr. Atherton, Mr. Joanes, 
Deacon Wiswol, Deacon Clap, Mr. Haward." 



From the scanty facts obtainable, it seems fair to con- 
clude that the first Meeting house remained from 1631, until 



78 APPENDIX. 

1646, unchanged in site, and that the orders of 1636 and 
1637 for a change came to nothing. The cattle-order of 
1637 shows that the meeting-house had an open space before 
it, and certainly that it was near Mr. Stoughton's house. It 
is certain that the town's common land extended west from 
the Calf Pasture, crossing Green Lane now Pleasant street, 
and we know that Mr. Stoughton's land on Pleasant street 
reached from Savin Hill avenue to the way into the Calf 
Pasture. In the lack of positive evidence to the contrary, 
it must be assumed that the meeting house was built on the 
town's land. As we shall fix the site of the second building 
(1646-1678) on part of this same common land, a few rods 
from the corner of Pleasant and Pond streets, "the parting 
of the ways to Calf Pasture and to Gov. Tailer's house," we 
may infer that the old tradition which says that the old 
meeting house stood at this corner, near the present Dor- 
chester Athenaeum building, refers to this original losr- 
cabin. (See Blake's Annals of Dorchester, Boston, 1846, 
p. 78.) 

The vote of 1645 to take Mr. Haward's land, "between 
Mr Stoughton's garden and his barn," does not seem to 
have gone into effect ; at least there is no farther mention of 
a payment and no deed of it to the town. The land was 
doubtless on or near the corner of Pleasant street, since in 

1647, (Rec. p. 79) the fences allotted are to Mr. Stoughton, 
John AViswall, Mr. Howard, John Pears about the Gate &c. 

In Dorchester Church Records (printed edition p. 17) 
Elder Topliff says of the early estates, "Mr. Howards — 
where John Jones lives, and hi3 orchard sold to Mr. 
Stoughton." 

Possibly the lot was too small to be worth payment, 



APPENDIX. 79 

especially if Mr. Ha ward was Robert Howard, the Recorder 
of the town. The evidence is conclusive that the new meet- 
ing-house of 1646 was on common land, on or near the road 
to Dorchester Neck, (now Pond street,) and adjoining the 
land afterwards owned by Ebenezer Williams. 



References to this second meeting house will be found in 
the Dorchester records, printed edition pp. 8, 14, 17, 19, 
21, 22, 25, 32, 35, 37, 38, 53, 54, 57, 60, 61, 63, 69, 71, 
72, 81, 82, 90, 91, 94, 97, 107, 109, 111, 112, 116, 121, 
123, 126, 135, 137, 146, 153, 154, 157, 159, 161, 166, 
167, 168, 169, 180, 183, 186, 187, 190, 192, 197, 203, 
210, 220, 228, 229, 233, 281, 301, 306, 307, 308, 310, 
311, 319. 

From these items we learn that it had ground-sills, paint- 
ing, clap-boards, and glass about the windows. At the be- 
ginning there was one gallery, probably two as mention is 
made of the west gallery. In 1646 a rate was laid "for 
making the walls warm and decent, within and without." 
In 1657, there was a door put to Mistress Stoughton's and 
Mistress Mather's seat. Repairs were constantly made, and 
about 1660 goodman Mead was paid £3 annually for " the 
bell ringing and cleansing the meeting-house." In 1665, 
Increase Atherton, Thomas Bird, jr., and Samuel Proctor 
got into trouble by setting up a new gallery in the meeting 
house, without leave from the town; but escaped with an 
humble apology, and an agreement not to give up or sell 
their seats to any one but those approved by the Elders. 
In 1666, it was voted that the Teaching and Ruling Elders 
should have power to seat people in the meeting house. In 



80 APPENDIX. 

1667 it was voted that the west gallery be brought into such 
form that all the boys may be there seated, "and so ordered 
that they may be prevented from prophaning the Lord's 
Day." In 1668, (Mead being dead), Nicholas Bolton * did 
agree to tend the meeting house, to keep it in decent order 
and to ring the bell," for £3 annually. 

Finally, March 28, 1670, the town took up the matter of 
a new meeting house and site, and June 27, 1670 it was 
voted that " the meeting house should be removed from the 
place where it now stands, to the Rocky-hill by the Schole 
house, and be set up in the same forme that now it is." 
(Rec. p. 168.) The matter moved slowly, as on 4 De- 
cember 1671 (Rec. p. 180) "It was voted to repair the 
meeting house " for the present occasion, that we may com- 
fortably come together for the worship of God" ; Feb. 26, 
1671-2, a committee was appointed "to pitch upon a place 
on the Rocky hill for the meeting house to stand upon " ; 
and March 1, 1672-3, they reported they had chosen a site 
there near the Lime-Kiln. At a meeting of the Selectmen 
Feb. 9, 1673-4, it was reported that the meeting-house bell 
was broken and dangerous, and it was ordered that the bell 
be taken down and sent to England and a new one obtained 
there or elsewhere. Dec. 20, 1675 repairs were made on 
the old house, and 10 Sept. 1677 it was voted " to repair 
the meeting house for this winter by stopping some holes 
and putting up some seats that are fallen, and the stairs 
that go up to the pulpit." (Rec. p. 220.) 

By the records of the Dorchester Church (printed ed. p. 
189) it seems " Nathaniel, son of Thomas Moadesly was bapt 
Nov. 10, 1678 being the last baptized in the old Meeting 
house, and that Remember Preston and Susanna Breck were 



APPENDIX. 81 

baptized Nov. 17, 1678, being the first day of meeting in 
the new Meeting house." 

Finally June 20, 1679 (Rec. p. 228) it was voted to 
sell the old meeting house * and the trees that grow there. 
Isaac Royall bought the house for £10, and some eight 
trees brought from 3 @ 5 shillings each. On March 14, 
1678-9, the Elder published the list for the seating of 
persons in the meeting house. 



"We will now consider the question of the site of this 
Second Meeting House, (1652-1679), giving our authorities 
therefor. 

The examination of many documents, which will be here- 
inafter cited, leads us to certain very definite conclusions — 
these are principally as follows : first, that from a very early 
date a highway extended from the residence of Lieutenant- 
Governor Tailer in a northerly direction towards Dorchester 
neck. The Tailer House is fully located upon a plan now 
in possession of the City of Boston. It was on the north- 
easterly corner of Savin Hill avenue and Pleasant street. 
Pleasant street, (or Green lane, as it was earlier known,) 

* We find on the Town Records (original, vol. 2, p. 101) the following agreement 
about the Third Meeting House : 

" The 11 of the 11 mo. 1674. It is agreed between the Selectmen of Dorchester 
and the rest of the Committee of the one part, and Isack By all of the same Dorches- 
ter, that he the said Isack Ryall shall build a meeting hous containing forty five foote 
in bredth and fifty foote in lenth and [twelve ? twenty word written over] betweene 
Joynts, with a gable on both sides with Window sutable, and to doe all the Carpentry 
worke, both seats and all gallerys and floures, and to begin upon the work about the 
latter end of next summer and then to follow it untill it befineshed : and the said Isack 
is to Keepe an exact account of the dayes work that is bestowed upon it and to [re- 
ceive f] one theird part in money unless he can afford to take less. Witness our hands 
the day above saed — The marke of Isack x Ryall." 



82 APPENDIX. 

extended northerly to a point quite near the present joining 
of Cottage and Pond streets, where the Dorchester Athe- 
naeum stands. At or near this point the main road turned 
north-westerly, and was carried over a small hill, and 
continued thus for several hundred feet (the present Pond 
street) . It then turned sharply north or north-easterly and 
followed the line substantially of the present Boston street, 
which led to the neck, now South Boston. At the point 
already described, where Pleasant street meets the road over 
the hill, there was a short road, reaching north-easterly, 
leading to the marshy land called the Calf Pasture. To the 
south of the road, and lying under the hill, was a marshy 
pond of variable extent, which went by the name of [Pool's 
and?] Mawdsley's pond at different periods. South of this 
again was the road known as the Eoad to Boston, which is 
now represented by Cottage street. The present street lines 
preserve the general idea of the state of affairs in the last 
century, giving Pond street on the north, and Cottage street 
on the south of an enclosed oval. But these roads have shown 
a constant tendency to approach each other and to become 
symmetrical , so that they are doubtless many rods away from 
the original cart-track which we are now trying to locate. 

We expect to prove that the site of the second Meeting 
House, as it stood from 1646 to 1678, was on the top of 
this little hill, at a point very near the line where two im- 
portant estates joined. To the south of it, including the 
pond, marsh, and upland, was a tract of common land reach- 
ing probably as far as Stoughton street and to its intersection 
with Boston street. This tract undoubtedly included the 
Training-field and was the subject of repeated grants by the 
town for the accommodation of the private owners abutting 



, 



APPENDIX. 83 

thereon. In fact, all general considerations confirm this 
view. Tradition has always located the first Meeting House 
somewhere within this tract, though without a definite site. 
As late as 1732 the exact site of the second was well known 
and was mentioned in town records and deeds. At the 
southerly end of the tract was the burying-ground ; at the 
north-east corner was the home of Richard Mather, the min- 
ister who officiated in this particular meeting-house. 



To proceed to particulars, Comfort Foster, about 1730, 
was the owner of an estate which we can locate with the 
utmost precision. Not only can we trace the title, as we 
shall proceed to do, from Foster to Jacob Royall, from Jacob 
Royall to Isaac Royall, and from Isaac Royall to Robert 
Oliver, but we also have a contemporary statement of a 
committee of the town, April 10, 1741, in the following 
words : " To exchange a small piece of the Town's Common 
Land by Mr Robert Oliver's House he purchased of Comfort 
Foster, for so much of Mr Oliver's land by the Burying 
place, for the enlargement thereof: Have this day according 
to our instructions exchanged with the said Mr Robert Oliver 
Half an acre & twenty five rods of the Common Land before 
the house [which] was the said Comfort Foster's, which is 
now taken down & a new one about to be erected on or near 
the same place by the said Robert Oliver." 

This lot of Foster's, consisting of about thirty acres, in all 
the deeds w 7 as described as bounded westerly or south- 
westerly on the road leading to Dorchester neck, that is to 
say, on the present Boston street. Northerly on the land of 
Jonas Humphrey, easterly on Ebenezer Williams' land, and 



84 APPENDIX. 

where the southerly bound is mentioned it is said to be on 
common land. Mr. Comfort Foster petitioned ineffectu- 
ally, May 21, 1733, for the little strip of land in front of 
his house between it and "the way upon Fire-stone hill, 
so called." 

At a meeting of the town, Nov. 17, 1740 (see Town 
Records, p. 427) Mr. Robert Oliver made a similar applica- 
tion and was successful. The town by deeds recorded 
(in Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 61, p. 212, dated April 10, 1741) 
gave him, in exchange for other land, a piece of common 
land bounded westerly by the road to Dorchester neck 
twenty-eight feet, northerly by land of said Oliver, easterly 
by common land, southerly partly by the highway leading 
over Firestone hill and partly by the remaining common 
land. At this time, as will hereafter be shown, the road 
over the hill, now Pond street, evidently ran through what 
was common land, and did not directly abut on Comfort 
Foster's house lot, nor on the land of his easterly neighbor, 
Ebenezer Williams. 

We will now proceed to the Williams lot. It appears by 
Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 29, p. 127, that on March 5, 1694, 
Ebenezer Williams bought of Samuel Mather and Hannah 
his wife one-half of the homestead of late Rev. Richard 
Mather; and that on the 23d of July, 1694 (Suffolk Deeds, 
Vol. 16, p. 395), he bought of Atherton Mather, son of 
Timothy and grandson of Richard, the other half of this lot. 

The description of this homestead is as follows : " Con- 
sisting of a Dwelling house and barn, yard, garden and 
orchard, upland, arable land, Salt meadow, and a parcel 
of swamp, containing in the whole by estimation Eighteen 
acres more or less, bounded Eastward upon the land of 



APPENDIX. 85 

William Pond dec'd, Westward upon the land of the 
late Capt. Hopestill Foster dec'd, Southward upon a 
highway leading to Calfs pasture meadow so called, North- 
ward upon the great creek lying near the sea, or however 
otherwise." 

Ebenezer Williams desired to straighten his lines, at the 
town-meeting, May 21, 1733 (see Town Records, p. 347; 
also the original paper on file) . He applied for a small piece 
lying by his house, between his land and that of Comfort 
Foster on the north, and southerly on the way over Fire- 
stone hill. This was refused, very possibly because that it 
was between Foster's land and the road, since at the same 
meeting they refused to let Foster have the strip which was 
directly in front of his house ; but at this same meeting 
Ebenezer and Nicholas Williams petitioned the town to 
" sell them about ten or twelve rods of common land join- 
ing to their land near where the old meeting-house stood" 
(Town Records, p. 348). 

The town complied so far as to appoint a committee to 
sell the land to the highest bidder, and accordingly, for 
thirty-five shillings, they sold to Ebenezer Williams, Jan. 
7, 1733 (Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 58, p. 167), the desired strip. 
This is described at follows : " Fourteen rods more or less, 
bounded : westerly by the Highway leading for Dorchester 
neck to Lieut. Gov r . Tailers, the said way to be left two 
rods wide, Easterly by the land of said Ebenezer Williams, 
Northerly by common land or however otherwise." 



We have thus located the site of the Old Meeting-House 
(the second one) as being near the little strip of common 



86 APPENDIX. 

land which Williams bought of the town, and which was 
clearly to the northward of the travelled road over the 
hill. If our view be correct, this strip of land would be 
between the home of the Rev. Richard Mather and his 
meeting-house, which would stand, in that case, in true 
colonial fashion, on the top of a moderate eminence 
overlooking the pond to the southward. In confirmation 
of this we will cite the earlier purchase by Ebenezer 
Williams from William Stoughton, Oct. 17, 1676. (Suffolk 
Deeds, Vol. 12, p. 63.) It is described as follows: 

" In consideration of the sums of four score pounds of cur- 
rent money confirm to Ebenezer Williams a certain piece or 
parcel of land containing two Acres more or less — being 
now an Orchard with the dwelling house upon it lying — in 
Dorchester being part of the home Lot which was formerly 
the lot of Mr Henry Withington, and after the lot of his 
son John Withington, being bounded South Easterly with 
the land of Nicholas Boulton ; South Westerly with the lands 
of the afores'd. William Stoughton ; North west with the 
highway leading from the toivn to the meeting house; North 
Easterly with the way leading to the Calves pasture : to- 
gether with a barne and garden plot and piece of meadow as 
it is now fenced in, lying on the North Easterly side of the 
afores'd way, as it is all now fenced in both the Orchard and 
barn." 

It appears then that this road from the point where it 
turns to the westward from Pleasant street was then called 
"the highway leading from the town to the meeting house." 
It is a confirmation of this, that when Robert Oliver bought 
two small lots, in 1738, of Thomas Pymer and Jonathan 
Kelton, respectively, these lands were described as bounded 



APPENDIX. 87 

north-easterly by the way leading to Meeting-House Hill ; 
and it is beyond question that these lands were in the 
oval space so often referred to by us. 



We claim, therefore, to have established, with as great 
precision as the subject will permit, that two successive 
Dorchester Meeting-Houses stood on the piece of common 
land which has been so greatly altered in two centuries by the 
hand of man that the exact spot covered by it no longer 
exists ; yet a portion of that same common land, by the 
generosity of the late John Richardson, is again common 
land, belonging to the city of Boston : and surely a com- 
memorative monument may be with perfect propriety 
erected a few rods to the westward. 

A perfectly parallel case is that of the famous monument 
on Beacon hill ; that hill has been lowered some sixty feet, 
the site is utterly gone, but no one disputes the propriety 
of marking a corresponding site in the State House grounds. 



We will now try and trace some of the lots which were 
evidently taken out of the common land to the south of the 
estates of the Fosters and William ses. We have seen that in 
1741 the town sold to Robert Oliver the part of the com- 
mon land directly in front of his house, at the corner of 
Boston street. 

On July 2, 1745 (see Suffolk Deeds, Yol. 72, p. 243), the 
town exchanged with Robert Oliver for another lot of his 
situated elsewhere, a very small piece of common land ; 
namely, one quarter of an acre and two rods, bounded 
northerly by the way over Firestone hill, southerly by 



88 APPENDIX. 

the way from Boston, by the house of Mr. Jonas Clarke ; 
westerly by the road leading to Dorchester neck, and 
easterly by the land of Oliver. This would seem to be the 
westerly apex of the oval between Pond and Cottage 
streets. 

How did Oliver acquire the land to the eastward of this 
quarter acre? It appears that on March 10, 1738-9 (see 
Suffolk Deeds, Yol. 57, p. 197), Jonathan Kelton sold to 
Robert Oliver one acre, bounded north-west with the town 
land ; north-east with the highway leading to Meeting-House 
hill, south-west with the highway, and south-east with the 
land formerly Thomas Pymer's, then Robert Oliver's. It also 
appears that four months previously; namely, Nov. 7, 1738 
(see Suffolk Deeds, Yol. 57, p. 63), Thomas Pymer had 
sold to Robert Oliver a white house and four acres of land, 
bounded north-west with the lands of Jonathan Kelton, 
north-east with the highway leading to Meeting-House hill, 
south-west with the lands of James Allen, Jonas Clarke, and 
Robert Oliver. It is evident that this four-acre lot did not 
reach through to the southerly road, now Cottage street, as 
the other lots did, and probably its greatest dimension was 
north and west. 

Pymer's lot is easily traced back as common land, because 
on the 18th of June, 1733 (see Suffolk Deeds, Yol. 57, p. 
88), Pymer bought of Samuel Royall a lot recently bought 
by him of the town of Dorchester, containing one and a half 
acres and twenty-four rods, bounded north-easterly by 
Jonathan Kelton's orchard ; north-east by the highway from 
Dorchester neck to the house of Governor Tailer in part ; and 
partly by the pond called Mawdsley's pond, southerly by 
the way leading from the house of Samuel Royall to the 
house of John Capen. 



APPENDIX. 89 

The deed of the town as recorded (Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 
47, p. 223), agrees with this substantially, and at the same 
time the town sold two and one-half acres of common land 
on the westerly side of Boston street reaching to the cor- 
ner of Cottage street. Moreover, on May 21, 1733, Samuel 
Eoyal petitioned the town for leave to close up a way lead- 
ing from his house to John Capen's, and this was refused; 
but on March 1, 1733-4, a year later, Thomas Pimer renewed 
the application. He stated that he had bought the piece of 
land near Mawdsley's pond recently sold by the town to 
Samuel Eoyal 1 ; accordingly, we find the deed of the town 
(Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 47, p. 223), dated May 28, 1733, 
which says that the piece contains one and one-half acres 
and twenty-four rods, bounded north-west by orchard of 
Jonathan Kelton, north-east partly by the way leading from 
the house of Comfort Foster to the house of the late Gov- 
ernor Tailer, and partly by Mawdsley's pond; south-west 
by the way leading from the house of Samuel Eoyall to the 
house of said Lieutenant-Governor Tailer. 

Now, it seems from this that wherever Royall's house 
stood, the road was primarily running towards Pleasant 
street, and was not then known as the road to Boston. 

Pimer's petition goes on to say that there was an old way 
over the Common, between this land and that of John Capen, 
Jr. But the said way was inconvenient, being the side of a 
hill, and not of general use or benefit to the town or neigh- 
borhood adjacent ; also, that there was another good way 
over Firestone hill, so called, a few rods distant. The loca- 
tion of John Capen's house has never been settled, although 
David Clapp, in his pamphlet on Jones' hill, p. 63, says that 
he believes it was on the corner of Pleasant and Cottage 



90 APPEISTDIX. 

streets. Inasmuch as the present oval between Pond and 
Cottage streets contains less than three acres, it would seem 
that these purchases of land made by Oliver must have ex- 
tended quite a distance south of the present Cottage street, 
and that the road to Boston, from Mr. Clark's house, was 
probably shifted also to the southward. 

In 1749 Eobert Oliver sold to Hugh McDaniel two acres 
and nine rods, bounded north-east and east by the highway 
over Firestone hill ; south-east by the parting of two roads, 
one leading to Calves Pasture, the other to Stoughton House ; 
south-west by the road leading towards Boston, and north- 
west by the land which he lately purchased of the town of 
Dorchester. Hugh McDaniel sells it to John Jeffries, by 
the same description, March 31, 1760 (see Suffolk Deeds, 
Yol. 94, p. 66). Now, as we find only two deeds from the 
town to Oliver it would seem as if his purchases reached 
coutinuously the whole length of the road over Firestone 
hill from Boston street to Pleasant street ; and that the 
southerly road leading from Pleasant street at this point 
leading towards Boston, otherwise described as the road 
leading by Mr. Clark's home, was distinct from the private 
way between Samuel Royall's house and that of John 
Capen, Jr. It would be useless, until some contempora- 
neous map or place shall be discovered, to try to give the 
exact bounds of these various estates. 



We know that Robert Oliver bought a piece of land situ- 
ated on the north and westerly side of the burying-place ; 
we also know that he owned some land on the westerly side 
of Boston street, near the corner of Cottage street, and the 



APPENDIX. 91 

deeds show that at one time the common land extended to 
the west of Boston street. Our interest is, of course, con- 
fined to the demonstration of our original proposition, that 
the common land extended from the house of the Rev. 
Eichard Mather southerly in the direction of Stoughton 
street. Its easterly boundary was the Calf Pasture, and the 
line of demarkation must have been always indefinite ; at 
that edge evidently the Training Field was located, and it 
is safe to say that it must have been several acres in 
extent. In this appendix we give abstracts of such deeds 
as bear on this point. For example, we will especially 
cite the deed of the town to Matthew Pimer, dated Nov. 
14, 1726, granted "half an acre and ten rods, a part of the 
land commonly called the 'Old Training Field,' bounded 
westerly by a way, northerly by land of said Matthew Pimer, 
Easterly and Southerly by common land, and is more par- 
ticularly and fully described in a plate annexed hereunto — 
a Duplicate whereof is lodged with the Town Clerk of Dor- 
chester." 

Aaron Bird petitions the Town of Dorchester under date 
of July 11, 1726, to sell him about half an acre of common 
land being a part of the land called the " Old Training 
Field," bounded northwesterly by common land, and on all 
other sides by land of the petitioner. 

The committee appointed by the town made a favorable 
report to the Town at a meeting held on August 16, 1726, 
on the petitions of Aaron Bird and Matthew Pimer. 

A remonstrance against the towns disposing of any part 
of the " Old Training Field " as petitioned for by Matthew 
Pimer and Aaron Bird, signed by Standfast Foster and 
others : 



92 APPEISDIX. 

That " this piece hath been often desired but as often deuied 
the land said Pimer petitions for there is six men must have 
a highway to their land through it. 

"We hope the Town wont first sell the land and then buy 
a way through it. But in the next place most damage will 
acrue to the town in seling away such a noble bed of clay, 
the value whereof can't be exprest. 

"Wherefore, we the Subscribers, Desire the town of 
Dorchester to proceed no further in that matter but let the 
said land lie in common for the good of the Town as our 
forefathers Left it for our good and for the good of our 
children." 



We therefore rest our case in regard to these sites, re- 
ferring however to the full test of the various deeds, 
petitions and orders of the town of Dorchester, hereto 
annexed. 




w^ 






APPENDIX. 93 



THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE. 



In regard to the site of the first School House, the evi- 
dence is not so clear. In the History of Dorchester (Boston, 
1859), prepared by the principal local antiquaries, the 
facts are plainly set forth (pp. 419-479). May 20, 1639, 
the town appropriated £20 annually for the "mayntenance 
of a schoole in Dorchester," to be paid to the school- 
master "to teach English, Latin and other tongues, and also 
writing. " The selectmen and elders were to decide " whether 
maydens shalbe taught with the boyes or not." (Rec. p. 39.) 
Again March 1, 1645 (Rec. p. 55) it was ordered that there 
be three wardens or overseers, whose duty in part was to 
" see that the Schoole howse bee kept in good and sufficient 
repayre," that "twelve sufficient cart or wayne loads of 
wood" be brought to the Schoolhouse annually, and that 
the hours of school from March 1 to October 1, be from 7 to 
11 and from 1 to 5, the rest of the year, one hour later in 
the morning and one hour less at night. 

The master was to " receive and instruct such as shalbe 
sent and committed to him for that end, whether their 
parents bee poore or rich, not refusing any who have right 
and interest in the school." He was to instruct them "in 
humane learning and good literature, and likewise in point 
of good manners and dutiful behaviour to all," especially 
their superiors when they meet them. Also every Friday 
he was to catechize his scholars. 



94 APPENDIX. 

Nov. 3, 1655, it was provided that before entering the 
scholars should be "all redie to knowe there Leters and to 
spell somewhat." — (Rec. p. 73). A man was to provide 
fire in the house " and in case of palpable neglect and matter 
of complaint and not reformed, it shall not bind the Master 
to endanger his health." 

Feb. 9, 1656-7, (Rec. 86) voted that "Thomas Wiswall 
was here desired in behalf of the school that a flower be laid 
over head in the school house, and a studdy made in it for 
the use of the schoolmaster, provided [he be given?] 5s. 
toward it and timber in his lott for juice." [joists?] 

Sept. 12, 1659, (Rec. p. 97) "Mr Batten was entreated 
and ordered by the Selectmen, that he would see a speedy 
repaire of the scoole house." 

Sept. 14, 1674, (Rec. p. 200), "Richard Hale was 
desiered and empowered to see that the Scholehous be 
repaired Either by clobording or shingleing the roofe." 

January 2, 1675-6, (Rec. p. 210) "the Select men 
appointed Richard Withington and Daniel Preston to see 
that the Scholehous be fitted up with seats and a lock and 
key for the doare." 

March 10, 1679-80 (Rec. p. 248) "voted that the Schole- 
hous shall be repaired wher it now stands." 

Finally May 8, 1694 (Rec. vol. 2 p. 145 orig.) John 
Trescott agreed with the selectmen to build a new school- 
house 20 feet long, 19 feet wide, with a ground floor and a 
chamber floor, a pair of stairs and a chimney. It was also 
to be clap-boarded inside and out, filled in between the 
studs, and fitly covered with boards and shingles. Trescott 
was to have the glass, lock and key, hooks and hinges of the 
old school house, and to be paid £22 current money of New 
England at or before the first day of January 1694-5. 



APPENDIX. 95 

This Dew school house was erected on the hill near the 
meeting-house, (Hist. p. 445) May 13, 1719 (Rec. vol. 2, 
p. 195) a rate was voted of £20 for a writing and reading 
school in the South Precinct. 

In 1798 (Hist. p. 453) the new brick-school house near 
the meeting house was built, costing $1287. 

Edward Everett in his Oration July 4, 1855, made the 
following statement. " Some fifty six or seven years have 
passed since, as a school-boy, I climbed — summer and 
winter, — what then seemed to me the steep acclivity of 
Meeting House Hill. The old School house, (it was then 
the new School-house, but I recollect that which preceded it) 
has disappeared." 

As to the site of the first school-house (1645-1694) the 
History says "the house was probably located near the 
corner of Pleasant and Cottage streets." This is the voice 
of tradition, but it agrees with the known facts. As no 
mention was made of land purchased for a site, it stood on 
the town's common land. The main settlement, the heart 
of the town, was this field so often referred to by us, with 
the two successive churches, the minister's house, the pound, 
the training-field, and the grave-yard, all located within its 
bounds. 

The tradition in regard to the first meeting-house has 
been verified. It is a significant fact that when the meeting 
house was moved to a new site, the school house soon fol- 
lowed. Who can doubt that they were near neighbors from 
the beginning ? 



9G APPENDIX. 



PETITIONS AND ORDERS OF THE TOWN OF 
DORCHESTER. 



To the Inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester in General Town 

Meeting assembled, on July 11. 1726 
The Petition of Aaron Bird of said Town of Dorchester, Hus- 
bandman, Humbly 
Sheweth, 

That Whereas there is a Piece of Common Land belonging to 
said Town of Dorchester, adjoyning to the Land of your Peti- 
tioner, containing about half an acre, Butted & Bounded north- 
westerly by Common Land', & on all other sides by Land of your 
Petitioner, it being part of the Land called the old Training-field ; 
Which would be beneficial to your Petitioner if he could buy the 
same ; & Especially in Regard of Streightning his fence, for your 
Petitioner should make less fence if he had said piece of Common 
Land than now he doth. 

He Therefore Prays that the Town would sell him said Piece of 
Common Land, and that they would Choose a Committee to agree 
with & make a Lawfull Deed of Sale to your Petitioner ac- 
cordingly. 

and your Petitioner shall ever pray &c. 

Aaron Bird. 



To the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of the Town of Dorches- 
ter, in the County of Suffolk, in General Town Meeting 
assembled, on the 11 th Day of July 1726. 

The Petition of Matthew Pirner of Dorchester aforesaid Husband- 
man, Humbly 

Sheweth, 

That Whereas there is a Piece of Common Land adjoyning to 



APPENDIX. 97 

the Land of your Petitioner, it being part of the Land Commonly 
called the Old Training Field, (Butted & Bounded South westerly 
by the Land of Ebenezer Maudsley Jun r . Northwesterly by the 
Land of your Petitioner & North-Easterly and South Easterly by 
Common Land) Containing about one half acre, which piece of 
Land would be beneficial to your Petitioner in Case he cc ulcl Pur- 
chase the Same, & as he conceives no Damage to the Town to 
Sell it. 

He therefore Prays That the Town would Sell him the said 
Piece of Common Land, and that they would choose a Committee 
to agree with him, & to make a Legal Deed of Sale thereof 
accordingly. 

And your Petitioner as in Duty Bound shall ever pray &c. 

Matthew Pimar. 



Where as there is a request made by Mathew Pimer & Aaron 
Bird to the Town of Dorchester To have each of them a peice of 
land Lying in Dorchester in a place caled the old Trainingfield 
or Calf pasture Gentlemen of thee Town this peice of Land hath 
been often Desired but as often denied There hath bin a Con- 
siderable number of men that have signd a paper signifiing to 
the town there dislike of parting with that which had bin so 
valuable to the Town besides the town have not seen meet to 
grant any such request (the Aforesaid paper was Lately read 
in the Town meeting but now it cant be found) They town 
have so far Acted on the late petition of these men as to choose 
a Comitty to see whether it were proper to grant there re- 
quest and to make report the next town meeting, what there 
opinions are is not yet none but it cant be expected thee gentle- 
men can tell how greatly the town will be damnified by despos- 
ing of so valuable a Treasure as those that live nearer: In the 
first place the great damage it will be to perticular men as to 
Wayes to the r Land the land the Said pimer petitions for there 
is Six men must have a highway to there land through it. 



98 



APPENDIX. 



We hope the Town wont first Sell the land and then buy a 
way through it. But in the next place most damage will acrue 
to the toun in Seling a way Such a noble bed of Clay the value 
where of cant be exprest. Yet so far we can tell it hath bin of 
great value & so remains and Likely to be of far greater, 
there is no place in the whole feild so easie to get Clay as the 
places petitiond for. Wherfore We the Subscribers Desire the 
town of Dorchester to proceed no farther in that Matter but 
Jet the said land lie in commen for the good of the Town as 
our forefathers Left it for our good and for the good of our 
children. 

Obadiah swift 

Preserved Capen 

Comfort Foster 

francis Price 

James Swift 

John Blake 

Josiah Blake 



Standfast Foster 
Ebenezer Clap 
Ebenezer holmes 
Daniel Preston 
Enoch Wiswell 
Joseph Hall 
Abiel Bird 
Ebenezer Williams 
Charles Davenport 
Tho s Bird 
Joseph Blake jun 
Sam 1 Clap 
Ebenezer Wis wall 
John Andrews 
Samuel Capen 
Benjamin Cheny. 



Henry bird 

the mark of X Nicholas Williams 

Josiah Blackman. 



To the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Dor 
Chester, within the County of Suffolk, in General Town Meet- 
ing assembled, on the Fifth Day of March, Anno Domini 
1732. 

The Petition of Samuel Royal of Dorchester aforesaid, Merchant, 

Sheweth, 



APPENDIX. 99 

That there are two small pieces of Common Land belonging to the 
said Town of Dorchester, that would accommodate your Petitioner 
if he could Purchase them of the Town , they lying near your Peti- 
tioners House : One of them Containing about an acre, and is 
Bounded North- Westerly by Jonathan Kilton's Orchard South 
Westerly by the Highway leading from your Petitioners House to 
the House of Thomas Pimer, North-Easterly by the Highway that 
leads from the House of Comfort Foster to the aforesaid Thomas 
Pimer's in part, and partly by Mawdsley's Pond (so called) The 
other Piece Containing about Two Acres, and is a Triangular 
Piece, Bounded Northerly by the Way leading from the House of 
Mr Ebenezer Clap towards Roxbury, South Easterly by the Way 
leading from said Mr Claps towards Dorchester meeting-house, 
and Westerly by the Land of Mr Jonathan Clap : Both of which 
Pieces of Land as they now lye uncultivated yields little or no 
profit to the Town in general, which if they were sold and the In- 
terest of the Money Improved towards the defraying of the Towns 
necessary Charges, would do something Considerable in lessening 
the yearly Taxes : which the Town by several such sales of late 
cannot but Experience the benefit of. 

Your Petitioner therefore Prays, that the Town would sell him 
the said Pieces of Common Land (as they have done the like to 
divers others) for such reasonable Price as shall be agreed upon ; 
and that they will choose and Impower a Committee to Sell the 
said Pieces of Common Land unto your Petitioner, (or either of 
them or so much of them as the said Committee and your Peti- 
tioner can agree upon) and to make and execute a good and law- 
full Deed or Deeds of Conveyance of the same. 
And your Petitioner shall ever Pray &c 

Sam l Royall 



To the Freeholders & Inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester, in 
General Town Meeting Assembled on the 21 st Day of May 
Anno Domini 1733. 



100 APPENDIX. 

The Petition of Samuel Royal of Dorchester aforesaid Merchant, 
Sheweth, 

That your Petitioner has Land on both sides of the Way leading 
from his House to John Capen's, which Way is of little or no use 
to the Town or any of the Inhabitants thereof, nor Travellers but 
would be of benefit to your Petitioner if the Town would allow 
your Petitioner to Close up the said Way, he giving the Town a 
valuable Consideration, therefor. 

Your Petitioner therefore Prays that the Town would allow him 
to Close up the said Way; for a Valuable Consideration, so far as 
the Town or a committee by them appointed shall direct. 
And your Petitioner shall ever pray, 

Sam l Royal l 



To the Freeholders & Inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester, in 
General Town Meeting assembled, on the 21 st day of May, 
Anno Domini 1733. 

The Petition of Comfort Foster of Dorchester aforesaid, yeoman, 

Humbly 
Sheweth, 

That there is a Small piece of Common Land lying between 
your Petitioners Land near the House where he now lives, and the 
Way upon Fire-Stone Hill (so called) that belongeth to the Town, 
and is of no benefit to the Town in General as it now lyeth, but 
would be profitable to your Petitioner if he could purchase the 
same, and more beneficial to the Town also. 

Your Petitioner therefore Prays that the Town would sell him 
said Small Piece of Common Land, & Appoint a Committee & 
Impower them to Sell the Same to him & to Execute a good 
& lawful Deed of the Same if they can agree. 

And your Petitioner shall ever Pray &c. 

Comfort Foster. 



APPENDIX. 101 

To the Freeholders & Inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester in 
Town Meeting assembled on the 21 st Day of May anno 1733. 

The Petition of Ebenezer and Nicholas Williams both of Dor- 
chester aforesaid, 
Sheweth, 

That there is a very small Piece of Common Land Joyning to 
your Petitioners Land near where the old meeting-house stood, 
which would accommodate your Petitioners by Streightening their 
fence, if the Town would sell the same. 

Your Petitioners therefore Pray the Town to sell to them or 
either of them the said Piece of Common Land, and Impower a 
Committee to sell the Same & Execute a Deed or Deeds of the 
Same. 

And your Petitioners shall Pray &c. 

Ebenezer Williams. 

his 

Nicholas x Williams. 

mark 



To the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of the Town of Dorches- 
ter in General Town Meeting Assembled May 21 st 1733. 

The Petition of Matthew Pimer of Dorchester aforesaid. 
Sheweth, That there is a small Piece of Common Land Commonly 
Called the Old Training-field, belonging to the said Town of 
Dorchester, containing about an Acre & half, Bounded — 

which is of small benefit to the Town as it now lyes, and it 
lying near your Petitioner, your Petitioner would be glad to 
Purchase the Same. 

Your Petitioner therefore Prays, That if the Town would sell 
him the said Piece of Common Land, & chose a Committee to 
make & Execute a good & Lawf ull Deed of the same if they can 
agree ; he leaving such ways as are Necessary. 

And your Petitioner as in Duty bound shall ever Pray &c. 

Matthew Pimer. 



102 APPENDIX. 

To the Freeholders & Inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester 
Regularly Assembled on the 21 st Day of May, anno 1733. 

The Petition of Ebenezer Williams of Dorchester aforesaid, 

Cooper, humbly 
Sheweth, 

That there is a Small Piece of Common Land, belonging to the 
said Town, lying by his House, between your Petitioners Land & 
the Land of Comfort Foster, on the North, & the Way over Fire- 
stone Hill on the South which is of little or no benefit to the 
Town as it now lyes, but if your Petitioner could Purchase the 
Same, it would be of advantage to your Petitioner & the Town 
also. 

Your Petitioner therefore Prays, That the Town would sell the 
said Piece of Common Land, & Choose & Impower a Committee 
to sell the Same, and (in case of agreement) to make & Execute a 
good & lawfull Deed of Sale of the Same unto your Petitioner. 
And your petitioner shall ever Pray &c. 

Ebenezer Williams 



To the Freeholders & Inhabitants of the Town of Dorchester, in 
the County of Suffolk, in Town Meeting Regularly As- 
sembled, on the Fourth Day of March, Anno Domini 1733/4. 
The Petition of Thomas Pimer of Dorchester aforesaid, Cooper. 
Sheweth, 

That your Petitioner is now the Owner of that Piece of Land 
the Town lately Sold to Mr Samuel Royal by Moseleys Pond (so 
called,) And that there is a narrow vacancy between your Peti- 
tioners Land, & the Land of Mr John Capen Jun r , that has been 
heretofore when your Petitioners Land lay Common used as a 
Way, but as ycur Petitioner Conceives is not Convenient for a 
Way being the side of a hill, nor is it of General use & benefit to 
the Town or the Neighbourhood Adjacent, there being another 
good way over Fire-stone hill (so called) but a few Rods Dis- 
tance therefrom; and that it would save your Petitioner much 



APPENDIX. 103 

fence, if the Town would sell him said Vacancy, or allow him 
to stop up said Way by Joyning his Fence to said Capens Land. 

He therefore Prays the Town to sell him said Strip of Land 
now used for a way as aforesaid ; and either Grant it him by a 
Publick Vote, for a valluable Consideration, or choose & Impower 
a Committee to make a Legal Conveyance thereof to him, as the 
Town shall Judge meet 

And your Petitioner shall ever Pray &c. 

Tho s Pimer. 

Dorchester March 4 th 1733. 

Pursuant to the several Votes & Instructions of this Town, at a 
Town Meeting on the 5 th Day of March last & on the 21 st Day of 
May last, Impowering & Directing us the Subscribers to sell 
Several Small Pieces of Common Land, we have Transacted therein 
as follows, Viz. 

We have Sold to Matthew Pimer the Remaining Common of the 
Old Training field, Containing about 1 ^ Acres, Reserving Neces- 
sary Ways ; for the Sum of Thirty Eight pounds. 

And we have Sold to Ebenezer Williams about 14 rods by the 
Place where the Old Meeting-house stood for 35/. 

And to Ebenezer Mawdsley J unr who appeared for Nicholas 
Williams, about 14 Rods in the place last mentioned for 35 
shillings. 

And to Henry Pay son Pools Pond (so called) with the Common 

Land Joyning to it, Containing about for the Sum of 10 

pounds. 

And to Samuel Royall about 4^ acres, being the 2 [two] 
pieces he Petitioned to buy (for 120 p.). 

All which Severall Pieces of Land we have given Deeds of in 
the Towns Name & have taken Bonds of them to whom we sold 
the Same, or Notes under hand made to the Town Treasurer, for 
the Money, and have Delivered them to the Town Treasurer. 

Tho s Tileston. 
Tho s Wisvell. 



104 APPENDIX. 

To the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of the Town of Dor- 
chester, in general Town Meeting Assembled, on the Third 
Day of March of March Anno Domini 1739 

The Petition of Robert Oliver of Dorchester aforesaid, Gentleman. 

Sheweth, That your Petitioner is now the Owner of the House 
& Land that was heretofore the Dwelling place of Mr William 
Royall Deceased : That there is a notch or offset in the fence 
facing to the Road or Highway leading to Boston, near where 
the said Mr Royals Shop stood : That it will be an advantage 
to your Petitioner to set his Fence Straight, and would nowise 
Straighten or discommode the Road but rather beautifie the 
same; That the Land taken in by Straightening the fence as 
aforesaid will be but very little ; about four or five Rods ; 
which your Petitioner (for the Reason above mentioned) is 
desirous to Purchase of the Town. 

Your Petitioner therefore Prays the Town to sell him said 
small Strip of Land ; And that they would Choose and Impower 
a Committee to sell the same unto him (for such Reasonable 
Price as shall be agreed upon) and to pass a good Deed of 
Conveyance accordingly. Or otherwise that the Town will con- 
firm the same to him by a Vote or Grant for such Reasonable 
Sum as they shall Judge meet. And your Petitioner as in 
Duty Bound shall ever pray &c. 

Robert Oliver. 



Dorchester April 10, 1741. 
We the Subscribers being a committee appointed by the Town 
of Dorchester, at a Meeting of the said Town on the 17 th Day of 
Nov r last past ; To Exchange a Small Piece of the Towns Common 
Land by Mr Robert Olivers House he purchased of Comfort 
Foster, for so much of Mr Olivers Land by the Burying place, 
for the Enlargement thereof: Have this Day according to our 
Instructions Exchanged with the said Mr Robert Oliver Half an 



APPENDIX. 105 

Acre & Twenty five Rods of the Common Land before the House 
that was the said Comfort Fosters (which is now taken down & a 
New one about to be Erected in or near the same place by the said 
Robert Oliver) Measuring Twenty eight feet from the Southwest 
corner of the said new House, along by the Way leading to Dor- 
chester-neck ; for the same Quantity of his Land Adjoining to the 
Burying- place ; both of which pieces of Land are more f ully de- 
scribed in the Deeds of Exchange which we and the said Robert 
Oliver have Interchangably Passed between us. 

Benj a Bird. 

Tho 8 Trott. 

James Blake. 



Indenture made April 10, 1741 between Benjamin Bird, esq, 
James Blake and Thomas Trott. yeomen, all of Dorchester, a com- 
mittee appointed by the town on Nov. 17, 1740, — and Robert 
Oliver of Dorchester, gentleman, by which the town sold to 
Oliver, in exchange for his land, " a piece or parcell of Common 
Land belonging to the said Town of Dorchester, Containing one 
Half an Acre and Twenty five Rods, more or less. Bounded as 
follows, Vizt. Northerly by the Land of the said Robert Oliver, 
Easterly by Common Land, Southerly partly by the Highway lead- 
ing over Firestone Hill (so called) and partly by the Remaining 
Common Land, the said Highway to be left about Two Rods 
wide, and Westerly by the Road or Highway leading to Dorches- 
ter-Neck, where it measures Twenty eight Feet." 

Robert Oliver conveys to the Town of Dorchester for the En- 
largement of their Burying Place a piece of Land containing one 
Half acre and Twenty five Rods, more or less, Bounded as fol- 
lows, Viz. Westerly by the whole length of the Burying Place, 
Southerly by the Road or Highway leading to the late Col. Tailors 
Deceased, and Northerly and Easterly by Bound Stakes against 
the Remaining Land of the said Robert Oliver, being in breadth 
from the said Burying Place eastwardly ninety three feet. 



106 



APPENDIX. 



To the Freeholders & other Inhabitants of the Town of Dorches- 
ter, within the County of Suffolk, in General Town Meeting 
Assembled on the 15 th Day of May Anno Domini 1749 

The Petition of Zebediah Williams of Dorchester aforesaid 
Yeoman humbly Sheweth, 

That Whereas there is a small Piece of Land near his Mothers, 
adjoining to a piece of Land, lately granted to Col. Robert Oliver, 
which he judges might be fenced in without Prejudice to the Way, 
your Petitioner therefore prays, that the Town would sell him 
said piece of Land, for the conveniency of diging a Well. And 
that they would choose & Impower a Committee to sell said piece 
of Land unto your Petitioner, & grant him a good & lawfull Deed 
of the same. 

And your Petitioner shall ever pray &c 

Zebediah Williams 
















>j A v x 



V' 






& 












vV ^ 



- r v aV 



.<* 



' 









• 












• 



: 






%s> x\ y 



<s 






















: 






- 















sV -» 
























V 









V 






0' 









^ -u r % 












% ,i 









s ^ 






51 ^ '\ 






.^v, 



o c- 



<>• 






** 



^ ^ 






a H -TV 



,^0 



J 1 * C ^ 






,^ * 






Oc 






















<=o 



X 



-aO 



V ^ 






,^.' 



c * 









